Laubacher Leads Boebert as Colorado Election Faces Recount

Democrat Eileen Laubacher is positioned to unseat Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 4th Congressional District following the November 3, 2026, midterm elections. With approximately 97 percent of ballots counted as of November 6, Laubacher maintained a narrow lead, prompting Boebert's campaign to investigate voting patterns and anticipate a possible recount.

Associated Press figures cited by Military.com placed Laubacher at 48.75 percent and Boebert at 47.95 percent, representing a difference of less than one percentage point. Libertarian candidate Douglas Mangeris received 12,506 votes, equivalent to 3.3 percent of the total.

Newsweek reported that approximately 12,000 ballots remained outstanding, while NBC News figures indicated that nearly all votes had been counted. The remaining ballots could influence the final outcome, particularly because many were concentrated in areas favorable to Laubacher.

Scott Gessler, an attorney representing Boebert's campaign, addressed the developing situation in a statement released Thursday.

"A significant number of votes remain outstanding in the race. We are fighting for every vote and will continue to ensure every legal vote is counted. Since election night, ballot returns have been trending in Congresswoman Boebert’s direction, consistently lowering the margin under one percentage point.

We are investigating some very unusual voting patterns and expect this election to head to a recount, one way or another." Scott Gessler said.

Gessler did not identify the specific voting patterns under investigation. He also emphasized the campaign's position on election transparency.

"Every legal vote must be counted accurately, fully, and transparently. We will continue to investigate throughout the process to protect the integrity of this election and ensure Coloradans can have complete confidence in the results." Gessler said.

In its separate coverage, Newsweek also highlighted the campaign's description of the situation as involving "unusual voting patterns." The publication reported that the investigation could precede a request for a recount or other legal action.

In another statement reported by Military.com, Gessler reiterated that the campaign was "fighting for every vote." He also described the investigation as involving "investigating some very unusual voting patterns and expect this election to head to a recount, one way or another."

Colorado law requires an automatic recount when the winning margin is 0.5 percent or less. Under Colorado Revised Statutes Section 1-10.5-106(2), Boebert can also request a recount in writing between 10 and 22 days after the election, even if the margin exceeds that threshold.

In the latter situation, the requesting candidate must cover the recount expenses. State law requires the recount to be completed within 35 days.

Denver television reporter Kyle Clark highlighted another development involving Weld County, a Republican-leaning area that produced fewer congressional votes than anticipated.

Clark described the potential electoral consequences, saying, "Rep Rep Lauren Boebert's path to a comeback win in #CO4 just got very difficult."

He also shared information from Weld County Clerk Carly Koppes about the remaining ballots.

"Weld County Clerk Carly Koppes (R) tells me they're done counting #CO4 votes (minus cures + ballots coming from other counties). Far fewer CO4 votes than expected due to a significant undervote." Clark wrote.

Clark added that the outstanding ballots were "concentrated in counties Laubacher has carries." The distribution of the remaining votes could therefore affect Boebert's prospects of overcoming the deficit.

Laubacher, a retired two-star U.S. Navy rear admiral, left military service in 2024 after 34 years. Her career included deployment to Afghanistan and service as a senior director for South Asian affairs on the National Security Council during former President Joe Biden's administration.

Her political affiliation also changed before the election. According to Colorado Politics, she registered as a Democrat in 2025 after previously identifying as a Republican and later as an unaffiliated voter.

During an October debate broadcast by 9NEWS, Laubacher explained her decision to change parties, describing the Republican Party as "nearly unrecognizable."

She also explained the reasoning behind her political transition.

"I changed my party because my view of what the parties represented changed," Laubacher said.

Laubacher previously criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid concerns about conditions for sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, according to reporting by The New York Times.

At her election night gathering on Tuesday, Laubacher expressed satisfaction with the campaign's performance.

"I could not be more proud of what we have accomplished," she said.

Boebert, meanwhile, encouraged supporters to remain patient while election officials continued counting ballots. She also acknowledged that the final outcome had not yet been established.

"Listen, y'all don't start trying to sell your houses and move to Florida just yet. OK, we still got to count some ballots here," Boebert said.

She also maintained that Republicans remained competitive across most Colorado counties.

"We are winning all but three counties right now, and we'll see. We'll see," Boebert added.

Boebert previously won the congressional district with 53.6 percent of the vote in the 2024 general election. A defeat in 2026 would represent a Democratic pickup in Colorado's congressional delegation.

Laubacher's potential victory is part of a broader Democratic advance in the midterm elections. Military.com also reported that retired three-star Navy Adm. Nancy Lacore was projected to win South Carolina's 1st Congressional District against Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt, with 99 percent of ballots counted at the time of publication.

According to the veterans' advocacy organization With Honor, 752 veterans registered as candidates for the House and Senate in 2026, the highest number since the organization began tracking the figures in 2018.

Elsewhere in Colorado, Democratic incumbent Sen. John Hickenlooper defeated Republican challenger Mark Baisley with 60.2 percent against 35.3 percent. Democrat Phil Weiser also won the gubernatorial election with 60.8 percent, defeating Republican Victor Marx, and is set to replace Gov. Jared Polis.