Lauren Boebert loses Colorado House seat to Democrat Eileen Laubacher
Summary
- Democrat Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, has unseated Representative Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 4th Congressional District.
- The Associated Press called the race with Laubacher leading 48.7% to 47.9% with 99% of ballots counted; Libertarian Douglas Mangeris took about 3%.
- Laubacher, a first-time candidate and former Republican, raised $13.7 million to Boebert's $1.2 million and visited all 21 counties in the district.
- Her win is the third Democratic flip of a Republican-held Colorado seat, leaving Jeff Hurd the only Republican in the state's House delegation.
- Boebert's campaign expects a recount, and her lawyer suggested election fraud without evidence.
- The loss came in a blue wave that left Democrats with 256 House seats to Republicans' 169.
Reactions
- Boebert campaign lawyer Scott Gessler suggested election fraud may be to blame, citing 'unusual voting patterns' without evidence, and said the campaign expects a recount.
- Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted 'Bye, Felicia' on social media after Boebert's defeat.
- Boebert told Scripps News she has no plans to run again in 2028.
- Laubacher called her win a testament to showing up in rural towns where voters felt ignored and ill-served by both parties.
- At her election-night watch party, Boebert reportedly danced to honkytonk and later glowered at a laptop as Laubacher's lead grew.
- During a debate, Laubacher said she would not vote to impeach President Trump.
Timeline newest first
After Lauren Boebert's 2026 midterm defeat, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posted 'Bye, Felicia' on social media.
The Associated Press called Colorado's 4th District race for Eileen Laubacher on Friday afternoon, with Laubacher leading 48.7% to Lauren Boebert's 47.9% and 99% of ballots counted; Libertarian Douglas Mangeris took about 3%.
Eileen Laubacher, declared the winner by the Associated Press, spent a Monday in Washington at an orientation with other newly elected House members.
Lauren Boebert lost Colorado's 4th District House race and was denied a fourth term, with a third-party libertarian candidate reported to have dragged down her fortunes.
Sources newest first
- Opinion | Lauren Boebert’s loss caps a grim year for MAGA women
An MS NOW opinion column argues that Lauren Boebert's 2026 midterm loss to Democrat Eileen Laubacher capped a grim year that saw Karoline Leavitt, Kristi Noem, Nancy Mace, and Laura Loomer lose power, with Hillary Clinton taunting "Bye, Felicia." It contends the sexed-up, pious MAGA woman persona was an unsustainable contradiction.
Rep Lauren Boebert projected to lose House seat in another Democratic flipThe Associated Press projects Rep. Lauren Boebert to lose Colorado's 4th District House seat to Democrat Eileen Laubacher, who led 48.7% to 47.9% with 99% of ballots counted, amid a blue wave that left Democrats with 256 House seats to Republicans' 169. A "Hannity" segment also features Rep. Jim Jordan discussing the GOP's lame-duck agenda and Democrats' lawfare threats.
Meet Eileen Laubacher, the Navy Veteran Who Beat Lauren BoebertThe New York Times profiles Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral and first-time Democratic candidate who unseated Representative Lauren Boebert in an unexpectedly close Colorado race, after raising $13.7 million to Boebert's $1.2 million and driving 40,000 miles courting rural and suburban voters. She becomes the third Democrat to flip a Republican-held seat in an increasingly blue Colorado, leaving Jeff Hurd the only Republican in the state's House delegation.
Lauren Boebert Loses Reelection Bid In Deep-Red Colorado Districthuffpost.com· 26h
HuffPost reports that Democrat Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral who has never held office, is projected to unseat three-term Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado's most conservative district. Boebert's lawyer Scott Gessler suggested election fraud without evidence, and the campaign expects a recount. HuffPost calls the result the likely end of a wild career.
MAGA firebrand Lauren Boebert falls to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in Colorado
Politico's Inside Congress newsletter reports that Rep. Lauren Boebert lost Colorado's 4th District to Democrat Eileen Laubacher, denied a fourth House term, and that 14-term Rep. Mike Thompson lost to Eric Jones after a week-long count. It also covers Chris Van Hollen's challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, Maxine Waters's fight with Sean Casten for the Financial Services gavel, Jamie Raskin's bid for the Judiciary chairmanship, Sen. Bill Hagerty's bar complaint against Jack Smith, House Republican talks of disciplining defectors, and Ted Cruz's postponing a classified AI briefing.
Background newest first
Just for Skeets and Giggles (11.14.26)substack.com· 5h
In a news roundup, Jay Kuo surveys the week after the 2026 election: votes still being counted, Democrats at 56 Senate seats, Lauren Boebert's loss in Colorado, and Trump's stalled press secretary search. He also covers Jensen Huang's Nvidia resignation, an FAA grounding that stranded tens of thousands, Stephen Miller's elevation to chief of staff, and a runaway corgi race.
So, What Will Democrats Do Next Year? They’re Working On That.A HuffPost news article looks at Democrats' efforts to settle on an agenda for next year after winning Congress in a landslide on an affordability message. Key figures include Chris Van Hollen challenging Chuck Schumer for Senate leader, plans to undo Trump's tariff and tax policies, and debate over whether to force another shutdown or pursue deals with Trump.
Send In The ClownsIn his Substack post, Charlie Sykes calls the FAA's massive ground stop an utter FUBAR, quoting Ron Filipkowski, Marc Thiessen, and Marjorie Taylor Greene criticizing Sean Duffy's press conference, and saying experts are not buying the early spin; commenter KO in LA details the FAA's rushed rollout of its new SMART software. The post also promotes his podcast with John Avlon and notes Lauren Boebert's re-election loss.
‘We must deliver’: jubilant Democrats gather in Denver to chart way forwardtheguardian.com· 11h
A Guardian article reports on Democrats' jubilant 'What's Next' conference in Denver, where thousands gathered after the party's sweeping 2026 midterm wins to chart a way forward. The consensus is that Democrats must act quickly when they take the majority in January, though attendees differ on whether to prioritize investigations of the administration or affordability legislation. Chris Van Hollen is challenging Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, and Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats have a collective responsibility to fight for an affordable America.
Well, that was frightening.Robert B. Hubbell's November 14, 2026 newsletter leads with the nationwide air traffic shutdown and the press conference at which Sean Duffy and Markwayne Mullin blamed Congress for underfunding FAA modernization—despite the last FAA funding, the Big Beautiful Bill, having passed without bipartisan support—while never explaining the shutdown's cause. He also reports Mary Peltola leading Dan Sullivan by 10,412 votes in Alaska, Lauren Boebert's defeat in Colorado, Democratic forecasts of a 56-seat Senate and 260-seat House majority, debate over the BAAJA permitting bill, and readers' pro-democracy protests across the country.
Democrats turn to 2028 after midterm gains boost moderates and progressiveselpais.com· 18h
An El País article by Luis Doncel reports that Democrats' sweeping 2026 midterm win — 255 House seats, over 100 women lawmakers, and control of both chambers — has revived the party as it looks toward 2028. It says the party ran on affordability and now faces an internal contest between establishment centrists like Hakeem Jeffries and progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, with a wide field of contenders expected, from Kamala Harris to Jon Ossoff and Josh Shapiro.
The Last Stand of Trump's Four Epstein Rebelsnewsweek.com· 25h
Newsweek analysis recounts the four Republicans who forced Donald Trump to release the Jeffrey Epstein files via a discharge petition — winning a 427-1 House vote he then signed — and how all are now leaving Congress: Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned, Nancy Mace ran for governor, Thomas Massie lost his primary, and Lauren Boebert, the last holdout, lost to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in a district Trump carried by more than 18 points. Anna Rahmanan argues the rebels lost seats and futures but kept the vote that made them troublesome, as Massie pursues further Epstein disclosure and eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which Hegseth has dismissed.
Classified briefing set to include embattled Commerce official is postponed
Politico's Inside Congress Live newsletter reports that Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz postponed a classified briefing on cybersecurity breaches and AI safety that was set to include Commerce undersecretary Jeffrey Kessler, who faced scrutiny over his dealings with chipmaker Nvidia, whose CEO was fired over an affair with an alleged Chinese spy. The newsletter also covers Chris Van Hollen's challenge to Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, Mike Thompson's ouster by Eric Jones, Lauren Boebert's defeat, Maxine Waters' fight to keep her Financial Services gavel against Sean Casten, House GOP talks on disciplining rebellious members, and Jack Smith's fight against Bill Hagerty's disbarment bid.
The Freedom Caucus comes to grips with a new reality: They won the warPolitico's Mia McCarthy reports that with co-founder Jim Jordan elected the next top House Republican leader on November 10, 2026, the House Freedom Caucus faces a new reality: it helped elevate one of its own even as it lost veteran members, saw its political arm stumble in the midterms, and now faces a GOP minority projected to be the smallest in over 30 years. Members like Andrew Clyde and Eric Burlison are vying for caucus chair and dispute that the group's influence will fade, with some predicting it could serve as an internal "heat shield" for Jordan.
Trump’s Midterm blow: The ConversationNewsweek's The Conversation rounds up reader reaction to the Democrats' midterm sweep, in which they won both chambers and the power to obstruct President Trump's agenda, along with Vice President JD Vance's four reasons for the defeat. A White House official calls the administration's mood "defiant," while readers variously see the vote as a referendum on Trump or predict two years of vetoes and gridlock.
Democrats are divided over what midterm victory meansHugh Cameron's Newsweek article reports that Democrats swept the 2026 midterms—flipping both chambers for the first time since 2006 and winning red states like Texas and Kansas—yet remain divided over why, with moderates like Third Way and Howard Wolfson crediting centrist candidates and progressives like Elizabeth Warren and the Working Families Party citing populist economics. Jeffries and Schumer are seen as overwhelming favorites to keep their leadership posts, while the Congressional Progressive Caucus expects a record 105 members.
All Four Republicans Who Defied Trump on Epstein Could End Up Out of OfficeNewsweek reports that the four House Republicans who joined Thomas Massie's discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files — Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, Massie, and Lauren Boebert — could all end up out of office. Massie lost his primary, Greene resigned, Mace is leaving Congress, and CNN projects Boebert will lose Colorado's 4th District to Eileen Laubacher, though Boebert refuses to concede.
Alaska U.S. Senate Election Live Results 2026apnews.com· 13d
The Associated Press's live results page tracks the 2026 Alaska U.S. Senate race, where Mary Peltola led incumbent Dan Sullivan 49.8% to 46.1% with the AP estimating 96% of votes counted, both below the 50% threshold needed to avoid ranked choice voting. It cites a New York Times report that Peltola's campaign was involved in recruiting the other Daniel J. Sullivan, and AP Voter Poll findings that young voters and Latinos shifted toward Democrats in the midterms.
