Rep. Lauren Boebert said her Colorado reelection bid was not over on Monday, November 9.
The Republican congresswoman said in an interview with TMZ that ballots awaiting signature corrections, along with military and overseas ballots, were still being processed.
Lauren Boebert. Image Credit: Gage Skidmore.
Her opponent, Eileen Laubacher, has already declared victory in the closely fought election while CNN projects the Democrat as the winner.
Boebert Says Remaining Ballots Could Change the Result
On Monday, Boebert told TMZ’s Jacob Wasserman that “the fat lady ain’t sung yet” in Colorado’s 4th congressional district election.
“Do you think I listen to CNN?” the Republican replied when asked about the network’s projection.
Pressed on whether she still believed she could win the election, Boebert replied: “We have thousands of ballots that are being cured. Those are rejected ballots, and those are being cured. They’ll be counted Friday. There’s [sic] also military and overseas ballots that are still coming in. So there are thousands of ballots.”
She continued: “If it changes the outcome, it changes the outcome. And if not, we’ll accept the decision.”
Boebert Denies Exhausting Campaign
The 4th district has been one of the closest in the state and is the only Colorado ballot the Associated Press still hasn’t called.
The Democratic Party has taken all but one of the seven declared results so far, with Jeff Hurd the sole Colorado Republican winner in the 3rd district.
Despite switching to a more conservative-leaning seat in 2024, Boebert has fought a grueling reelection campaign against Laubacher. However, she denied that it had drained her in the TMZ interview.
“I don’t think the campaign was exhausting. I’ve been living this life for seven years on the road and with my voters and having these same meetings, traveling, driving tens of thousands of miles,” she said near the steps of the House of Representatives. “It’s just been part of my life.”
She instead laughed that a Frontier Airlines flight back to Washington had been more exhausting than her reelection campaign.
Defeat Could Be “Liberating”
Boebert jokingly offered her condolences to her Republican colleagues when pressed on the prospect of her tenure in Congress ending.
President Donald Trump speaks during the 136th Coast Guard Academy commencement exercise in New London, Conn., May 17, 2017.
The ceremony was the President’s first service academy graduation as commander-in-chief.
Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.
“It’s almost liberating in a sense, right?” she told Wasserman. “I want to offer condolences to some of my friends that did win.”
However, she maintained that the contest was “not over yet.” She also praised her staff, telling TMZ that she hoped they could find good roles if her Democratic opponent were declared the winner.
“Elections matter, but this doesn’t change who I am and what I do. I’m still going to be aggressive. I’ve always just done really big things and have been pretty successful in them,m and I’m going to continue to do that,” Boebert added.
Uncertainty Continues as Laubacher Claims Victory
While Colorado’s 4th district has still not been called by several news outlets, CNN bucked the trend by declaring Laubacher as the victor on Monday. The Democrat said in a social media post that she was “honored by the trust” voters had placed in her, adding that the campaign was “never about party labels” but “putting people first.”
She continued: “This victory is historic. But making history means nothing if we don’t make a difference. My focus is simple: lower costs, protect healthcare, strengthen rural communities, take on corruption in both parties, and hold Washington accountable.”
Last week, Boebert’s campaign attorney Scott Gessler said later ballot returns had narrowed the deficit between the two candidates.
In a statement, Gessler said: “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.”
He continued: “We are investigating some very unusual voting patterns and expect this election to head to a recount, one way or another.”
Under Colorado state law, a recount is required when the difference between the two leading candidates is no more than half a percent of the leading candidate’s vote total. A losing candidate or another eligible interested party can also request a recount outside that threshold, at its own expense, and must submit the request by November 25.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
