With an estimated 98% of the vote tallied, Laubacher led Boebert by 3,237 votes out of more than 380,000 counted — a margin of 0.85%. The Associated Press has not yet called the race.

"I'm honored by the trust the people of Colorado's 4th District have placed in me," Laubacher said in a statement. "This campaign was never about party labels. It was about putting people first."

She added: "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."

Boebert, in a fundraising email to supporters Monday, said the race remains too close to call and that her campaign is working with Republican groups to encourage GOP voters to "cure" their ballots before Thursday's deadline. County clerks have until late Thursday night to receive cured ballots and military and overseas ballots.

"Our legal team expects a recount will happen one way or another, and we're preparing for it NOW," Boebert wrote.

Laubacher's current margin is too wide to trigger an automatic recount under state law, which requires the difference between the top two candidates to be 0.5% or less of the highest vote-getter's total. As of 5 p.m. Monday, that threshold would require the margin to fall under 931 votes — less than one-third of the current gap. Either candidate or a political organization can request a recount regardless of the margin, but they must pay for it.

According to the latest vote update, Laubacher had 48.77% of the vote, ahead of Boebert at 47.92%. Libertarian Douglas Mangeris trailed at 3.31%.

Scott Gessler, a former Republican Colorado secretary of state and a lawyer for Boebert's campaign, called it "irresponsible" to declare a winner while ballots remain uncounted. "Every vote should be counted, and every vote should matter," Gessler said in a statement. "We expect that counties will be releasing final counts on Nov. 13. The campaign will continue to monitor the process and support the lawful counting and certification of every eligible ballot before taking any further steps."

Laubacher has led since election night, though her margin narrowed as county officials continued updating results. Final unofficial totals are expected Friday.

If Laubacher's lead holds, Colorado would send seven Democrats and just one Republican to the U.S. House next year, following a midterm election that saw Democrats win control of both chambers of Congress. Democrats unseated three incumbent Republican House members in Colorado: Boebert, Gabe Evans in the 8th District, and Jeff Crank in the 5th District, which had never before elected a Democrat.

Laubacher, 58, is a first-time candidate, retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and former National Security Council official who lives in Highlands Ranch. She previously served as chief of staff to former second gentleman Doug Emhoff. She said she ran to bring focused, mature representation to the district and to find common ground on healthcare, housing and everyday costs.

Boebert, 39, is serving her third term and is the state's senior elected Republican. She won reelection two years ago by 11 points in the 4th District after moving from the 3rd District, where she came within fewer than 600 votes of losing in 2022. Her campaigns have focused on supporting Trump, border security, boosting fossil fuel production and reducing government spending and regulation.

Anchored by Douglas County, the 4th District covers all or parts of 21 counties, including the Eastern Plains and the Loveland area, and is the state's most solidly Republican congressional district. Republicans who held the seat before Boebert routinely won by margins topping 20 percentage points. Laubacher carried the more densely populated portions of the district in Douglas, Larimer and Arapahoe counties, while Boebert led in smaller, rural counties.

Laubacher dominated fundraising this cycle, pulling in nearly $14 million through mid-October — more than 10 times the $1.2 million Boebert raised over the same period. Outside groups spent $1.5 million against Boebert, largely on ads highlighting the 2023 "Beetlejuice" theater incident, and about $600,000 promoting her.

Boebert publicly broke with Trump last year when she joined four other House Republicans on a discharge petition to force release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In late 2025, Trump vetoed a Boebert-sponsored bill that had passed Congress unanimously and would have helped fund completion of a decades-old pipeline project delivering clean drinking water to rural southeastern Colorado; an override attempt failed. Trump later called for a primary challenge against Boebert after she backed Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky, though the demand came after Colorado's primary ballot was set. Boebert said the rift had been mended, and Trump reiterated his endorsement and held a tele-rally for her in the final week.

Colorado Democratic Party chair Shad Murib congratulated Laubacher, citing her 34 years of military service. "Voters have chosen a representative who understands that public service comes with obligations," Murib said.

Gov.-elect Phil Weiser, a Democrat, cheered the result on X hours before Laubacher's declaration. "This is what democracy looks like!" Weiser wrote, adding that Laubacher "is the real deal, worked hard to earn the trust of the people of the 4th Congressional District, and will be an outstanding member of Congress."