Democrat Eileen Laubacher Defeats Republican Representative Lauren Boebert in Colorado Congressional Race

Democrat Eileen Laubacher defeated incumbent Republican Representative Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, ending the three-term congresswoman’s tenure following a closely contested race in the state’s eastern plains.

The Associated Press projected the win for Laubacher on Friday, as the final vote count showed her leading by just under 1 percent, placing the result outside the state’s automatic recount threshold.

The defeat marks a significant shift for the district, a Republican stronghold that President Donald Trump won by 18 points in 2024, according to reporting by The Independent.

“I’m honored by the trust the people of Colorado’s fourth district have placed in me,” said Eileen Laubacher, the Democratic challenger.

“This campaign was never about party labels. It was about putting people first,” she added.

Laubacher, a retired two-star Navy rear admiral, previously served as a senior director for South Asia at the National Security Council under the Biden administration.

She switched her party affiliation to Democrat in 2025, telling voters during a debate that the Republican Party had become unrecognizable to her.

Boebert, a prominent figure in the MAGA movement, moved to the 4th District in 2024 after narrowly winning re-election in her original 3rd District two years prior.

Her time in office was marked by numerous public controversies, including a 2023 incident where she was escorted from a Denver theater for disruptive behavior.

More recently, she faced an ethics complaint regarding allegations of sexual relationships with staff members, which she denied and described as politically motivated.

“There was a lot of money dumped on my head,” said Lauren Boebert, the outgoing congresswoman, while speaking to reporters outside the Capitol earlier in the week.

Boebert claimed the spending against her campaign was gross, while reports indicated Laubacher raised more than $13 million compared to Boebert’s $1.2 million.

Following the election, Boebert posted a video on social media stating that she did not intend to seek office again in 2028.