Lauren Boebert is projected to lose re-election in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, ending the Republican congresswoman’s current run in the U.S. House after a closely fought race against Democrat Eileen Laubacher.
The projection came Monday, November 9, six days after Colorado voters cast ballots in the 2026 midterm election.
The state’s published results remained unofficial, with Laubacher holding a narrow lead over Boebert as counties continued reporting and election officials prepared for the canvass and certification process.
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Lauren Boebert: Laubacher holds narrow lead over Boebert
The latest available count showed Laubacher with 185,923 votes, or 48.8 per cent, compared with 182,686 votes, or 47.9 per cent, for Boebert.
Libertarian candidate Douglas Mangeris had 12,605 votes, or 3.3 per cent.
The figures represented roughly 381,000 ballots and about 97 per cent of the expected vote, according to the latest published election returns.
Laubacher’s advantage was less than one percentage point, making the race substantially closer than the district’s recent Republican history suggested.
Because the totals were not yet certified, the projection did not replace the formal result that Colorado election officials will eventually issue.
Counties must complete their canvasses before the state can finalize the official abstract of votes cast.
Who is Eileen Laubacher?
Laubacher is a Democrat and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral who ran for federal office for the first time.
Her campaign emphasized affordability and national political change while competing in a district that has generally favoured Republican candidates.
Her projected victory would make her the next representative for Colorado’s 4th District, which includes much of the state’s eastern and suburban territory.
The district includes Douglas County and extends across a large area of eastern Colorado.
Laubacher’s strongest performance came in Douglas County, where the unofficial results showed her well ahead of Boebert.
Boebert maintained advantages in several rural counties, but those margins were not enough to erase Laubacher’s lead in the reported totals.
Boebert’s political path
Boebert first won a seat in Congress in 2020, defeating a Republican incumbent in the party primary before becoming one of the House’s most nationally recognized conservative figures.
She represented Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District from 2021 through 2024.
In 2024, she moved to the more Republican-leaning 4th District and won the general election, securing the seat she sought to retain this year.
The projected defeat would prevent Boebert from beginning another term in Congress and would mark a significant reversal from her 2024 result.
She won that election with 53.6 per cent of the vote, while the Democratic candidate received 42 per cent.
The 2026 contest was also notable because the district backed Donald Trump by a wide margin in the 2024 presidential election.
Laubacher’s lead therefore represented a major Democratic gain in a seat that had been viewed as safely Republican before the campaign.
What happens next?
Colorado election officials still need to complete the formal canvass, resolve any outstanding administrative issues and certify the result.
The narrow margin may also trigger a recount under Colorado’s election rules if the final certified totals meet the statutory threshold.
Boebert’s campaign has said it is reviewing the count and has raised concerns about voting patterns without publicly establishing that any ballots were improperly counted.
A review or recount could alter the final margin, although no certified change had been announced by Monday evening.
Until certification, Laubacher should be described as the projected winner rather than the officially certified representative-elect.
The final result will determine when she formally succeeds Boebert and joins the next Congress.
For Boebert, the loss would close her current congressional chapter but would not by itself determine whether she pursues another political office.
She had not announced a specific next step as of Monday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Lauren Boebert lose the 2026 election?
Boebert was projected to lose Colorado’s 4th Congressional District to Democrat Eileen Laubacher, but the result remained unofficial pending certification.
Who won Colorado’s 4th Congressional District?
Eileen Laubacher was projected to win the seat after leading Boebert in the latest reported vote count.
How close was the Boebert-Laubacher race?
Laubacher led by less than one percentage point in the latest unofficial results, with 48.8 per cent to Boebert’s 47.9 per cent.
Could there be a recount in Colorado’s 4th District?
A recount may be required if the final certified margin falls within Colorado’s legal recount threshold.
When will the Colorado election result become official?
County officials must complete their canvasses before Colorado can certify the final result.
Fact-Checked: The projection, unofficial vote totals, district history and Colorado canvass timeline were checked against the latest election-return information and Colorado election guidance. ([discoverdougco.com](https://www.discoverdougco.com/elections/2026-general/results/us-house-4?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: Vote totals and the projected outcome may change until Colorado election officials complete the canvass and certify the result.