Tight Margin and Projected Outcome
Democrat Eileen Laubacher declared victory on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, in her race against U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, marking a major shift in one of the state’s most conservative strongholds. While the Associated Press had not officially called the race by Monday afternoon, CNN projected Laubacher as the winner. Laubacher held a lead with 48.8% of the vote compared to Boebert’s 47.9%, representing a margin of just under one percentage point across the district spanning Colorado’s Eastern Plains and parts of metro Denver, as reported in an article published by the Chicago Tribune.
With roughly 98% of estimated votes tallied by the AP and only a small number of ballots remaining in several counties, election officials confirmed the 3,237-vote margin was outside the threshold required to trigger an automatic recount under state rules, which currently sits at 0.5% of the leader’s vote total. Laubacher traveled to Washington, D.C., on Monday to participate in new member orientation while the remaining votes continued to be processed.
Campaign Dynamics and National Context
Laubacher’s strong performance reflects broader political currents, arriving as part of a wave of Democratic gains in Colorado that also unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in the 8th Congressional District and secured the 5th Congressional District for Democratic challenger Jessica Killin. A retired Navy rear admiral and former Republican who moved to Highlands Ranch two years ago, Laubacher ran as a moderate, significantly outraising Boebert and drawing a late-October recategorization from the Cook Political Report that shifted the district from “solid Republican” to “leans Republican.”
Boebert, who relocated to Windsor in the 4th District ahead of the 2024 cycle after narrowly holding her previous seat in the Western Slope’s 3rd Congressional District, faced numerous political headwinds. Her tenure nationally was marked by high-profile controversies, including a 2023 incident at a Denver theater production that damaged her standing, as well as friction with former President Donald Trump after she voted to release Jeffrey Epstein files and opposed a water funding veto. Although Trump endorsed Boebert as a “MAGA Warrior” three days before the election, he had previously criticized her switch to the 4th District following internal party disputes.
Recount Demands and Next Steps
Despite the current vote totals and projections, Boebert’s campaign has refused to concede. Scott Gessler, an attorney representing Boebert, stated last week that the campaign was investigating unusual voting patterns and anticipated the race heading toward a recount. County election officials will continue processing remaining military, overseas, and signature-cure ballots until the statutory deadline on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Laubacher has emphasized a bipartisan approach to governance focused on infrastructure, trade policy, and legislative cooperation. As officials finalize the last remaining ballots, the outcome signals a historic electoral shift in a district that has elected a Democrat only once in the past 53 years.