Republican incumbent loses Colorado congressional race
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Windsor, has lost her race in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District to retired Adm. Eileen Laubacher, a Democrat, according to multiple media outlets on Friday afternoon.
Boebert conceded the race and congratulated Laubacher.
As of 5 p.m. Mountain time, Boebert was trailing 1% behind Laubacher. She had 184,220 votes – amounting to 47.89% of the votes – compared to Laubacher’s 187,745 votes or 48.8%. The numbers are from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.
A Democrat has not represented Colorado’s 4th District since Betsy Markey held the seat from 2009 to 2011. Markey unseated Republican Marilyn Musgrave by 56.2% of the vote to Musgrave’s 43.8%.
From 2011 to 2026, the seat was held by Republicans, most recently by Boebert when she was elected in 2020, first serving in the state’s 3rd District until 2024, when she ran for the 4th District after congressional redistricting.
Boebert posted a video on her social media Friday evening, saying “I said that we were going to wait until every vote [was] counted, and every voice in Colorado’s 4th district was heard.”
She then proceeded to say, “Thank you for the honor of a lifetime; a chance to be your voice in Washington, representing communities across 21 counties. It has been the privilege of my life.”
Boebert said she called Laubacher to congratulate her and concede the race. She added she encouraged Laubacher to look beyond partisan lines so that she can truly serve the people in the 4th District.
Laubacher, a 34-year Navy veteran and retired admiral, was previously registered as Republican until 2024 when she registered as unaffiliated. She changed her affiliation to Democrat in 2025.
She explained her switch was because she felt the Republican Party had become “nearly unrecognizable.” She talked about that during a debate in October, which was covered by The Center Square.
However, Laubacher has continually framed herself as a moderate Democrat and has criticized some of the more progressive views that her party members hold, such as Medicare for all.
When Laubacher announced her bid, she faced significant backlash and even a legal battle with Democratic Party leaders, who moved the district assembly, during which party members meet to endorse candidates, from March 26, 2026, to March 27, so that Laubacher could meet the party’s eligibility requirements.
Her legal battle occurred earlier that month when another Democratic candidate for the 4th Congressional District, Trisha Calvarese, sued Laubacher alongside Lisa Chollet, the chair of the Colorado Democratic Party. They claimed that Laubacher was ineligible to participate in the party’s caucus and assembly process because she had not been a registered Democrat for 12 consecutive months.
On March 3, 2026 a Denver District Court judge denied the temporary restraining order in the lawsuit, effectively allowing Laubacher to participate and run as the Democratic nominee. Calvarese, who was also running for the seat, dropped out of the race in April.
Laubacher posted on social media Monday that her victory was “historic” and that she doesn’t answer to any political party, but rather the people of the 4th District. She said that she is willing to work with “anyone and everyone, including President Trump, Republicans, and Democrats to get things done for Colorado.”
She said her focus is to “lower costs, protect healthcare, strengthen rural communities, take on corruption in both parties, and hold Washington accountable.”
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