Lauren Boebert’s Campaign Cites “Very Unusual Voting Patterns” as Democrat Eileen Laubacher Holds Lead

Lauren Boebert’s campaign says it is investigating “some very unusual voting patterns” as the Colorado congresswoman trails Democratic challenger Eileen Laubacher with ballots still being counted in the state’s 4th Congressional District.

The statement came Thursday from Scott Gessler, an attorney for the Lauren Boebert for Congress campaign and a former Colorado secretary of state. Gessler said a significant number of votes remain outstanding and that ballot returns since election night have been trending in Boebert’s direction, pushing the margin under one percentage point. He did not say what the unusual patterns are or share any evidence behind the claim.

“We are investigating some very unusual voting patterns and expect this election to head to a recount, one way or another,” Gessler said. He added that every legal vote “must be counted accurately, fully, and transparently” and that the campaign will keep investigating throughout the process.

As of Wednesday night, with about 94% of ballots counted, Laubacher led with 48.88% of the vote to Boebert’s 47.93%, a gap of 3,405 votes. Libertarian Douglas Mangeris pulled 3.2%. By Thursday, the gap had narrowed to roughly 2,500 votes, and the race remains too close to call.

Here is how a recount works in Colorado. The state orders one automatically when the gap between the top two candidates is half a percentage point or less of the winner’s vote total. Laubacher’s lead is still outside that range. If it stays there, Boebert can still request a recount, but a candidate who asks for one has to pay for it.

The race is a shock on paper. The 4th District was considered the most Republican seat in Colorado. Lauren Boebert won it by about 11 points in 2024, and Trump carried it by more than 18 that same year. Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, is a political newcomer running for office for the first time.

Boebert has been in this spot before. In 2022, she held onto her old 3rd District seat by just 546 votes after an automatic recount that barely changed the count. She moved across the state to run in the safer 4th District in 2024 after that scare.

If Laubacher’s lead holds, Lauren Boebert would be denied a fourth term, and Rep. Jeff Hurd in the 3rd District could end up as the only Republican in Colorado’s congressional delegation.

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Dee Dee Henderson

Dee Dee Henderson is a Poli Alert journalist covering national politics, elections and the policies that hit closest to home for Black communities, from voting rights and the economy to the courts. She reports the facts first and isn't afraid to say what they mean, and her commentary pieces are clearly labeled as opinion. Her midterm coverage breaks down deadlines, ballot measures and the races that will decide who holds power in Washington.

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