MAGA firebrand Lauren Boebert has been forced out of Congress after losing her re-election bid to Democrat Eileen Laubacher in a closely fought race overshadowed by years of controversy.
The Associated Press called the contest more than a week after the midterm elections, as a nationwide “bluenami” delivered major gains for Democrats.
With 99 percent of the vote counted, Boebert was trailing Laubacher by just over 3,000 ballots. Laubacher secured 49.8 percent, compared with Boebert’s 47.9 percent.
The 39-year-old Republican refused to concede quietly. Her campaign said it was examining “unusual voter patterns” and pledged to fight for every ballot.
Boebert, a close ally of Donald Trump who has occasionally challenged his policies, blamed his war on Iran for the wave of Republican defeats.
In a local interview last week, Boebert said the main lesson from the GOP’s overwhelming losses was simple: “You don’t start endless wars.”
“That’s a big one. I mean, I’ve been frustrated about the Iran war. There was nothing I could do individually to stop what was happening there,” she added.
The result marked a sharp reversal for Boebert, who had carried the district by 11.6 percentage points in 2024.
The Cook Political Report had rated the seat as leaning Republican, making the Democratic challenge one of election night’s most closely watched contests.
The Colorado Republican, one of the most recognizable faces of Trump’s political movement, lost her re-election fight to Democratic challenger Eileen Laubacher in the state’s 4th Congressional District
Boebert’s defeat represents a dramatic turnaround for a politician once seen as virtually inseparable from the Republican Party’s populist movement
Boebert was repeatedly at the center of controversy during her time in Congress
During the campaign, Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, attacked Boebert over her vote against war powers resolutions designed to limit military action in Iran.
Boebert’s loss represents a dramatic reversal for a politician who once appeared almost inseparable from the Republican Party’s populist wing.
Her tenure in Congress was repeatedly eclipsed by controversy, including a widely publicized 2023 incident at a Denver theater. Boebert was escorted out of a performance of Beetlejuice after being accused of vaping and engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior.
She later apologized for her conduct.
The congresswoman also faced scrutiny over her campaign finances, her bitter divorce from Jayson Boebert and her decision to leave Colorado’s Third Congressional District to seek election in the more Republican-friendly Fourth District in 2024.
Her 21-year-old son Tyler, one of her four children, recently accepted a plea deal on child abuse charges that would require him to serve 30 days in jail.
He faced a misdemeanor charge of child abuse without injury after allegedly leaving his two-year-old son unattended at his mother’s home in Windsor, Colorado, in February. The child, Josiah, was found wandering away from the family’s house, which is near a lake.
According to court documents, Tyler has since agreed to plead guilty to charges of child abuse and negligence without injury under a deal with the Weld County District Attorney’s Office.
Another controversy followed Boebert during the campaign in September, when activist David Wheeler filed a sworn complaint with the House Ethics Committee accusing her of having sexual relationships with three current and former congressional staffers.
The explosive complaint alleged that Boebert had an affair with a former senior aide and arranged a $200,000 payment to prevent her from speaking publicly after the relationship allegedly ended.
It also accused Boebert of inappropriate relationships with two other members of her congressional team.
The allegations prompted questions over whether Boebert had breached House ethics rules covering relationships between lawmakers and staff, as well as the handling of campaign and congressional funds.
Boebert angrily rejected the accusations, describing them as politically motivated and “utterly false.” The former aide identified in the complaint also denied the claims and called them defamatory.
The House Ethics Committee had not announced an investigation.
Boebert’s district, however, was only one of several closely watched battlegrounds.
Boebert first won a seat in the House in 2021
In Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, Democrat Manny Rutinel flipped the seat after defeating Republican incumbent Gabe Evans.
Republican Congressman Jeff Crank also faced a serious challenge from Democrat Jessica Killin in Colorado’s 5th District, while Republican Jeff Hurd defended his seat against Democrat Dwayne Romero in the 3rd District.
Following a punishing night for Republicans, Democrats took overall control of the House and could secure at least 258 seats. They also gained control of the Senate after flipping several seats across the country.
