Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) was turned away from a House Republican meeting Tuesday morning, a day after CNN projected she had lost her seat, according to a source who spoke to Capitol Hill reporter Juliegrace Brufke.
“Boebert got turned away,” the source told Brufke.
Boebert later told Brufke that House Republican leaders admitted to an error. “Conference said they messed up and should have never said my race had been called,” she said.
House Republicans who will serve in the next Congress held a candidate forum that morning ahead of a secret-ballot vote that afternoon on who will lead the party in the minority, the Associated Press reported. Boebert planned to return for the 1:30 p.m. leadership vote, Axios reporter Kate Santaliz wrote on X.
On Monday, CNN projected that Democrat Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral, would flip Colorado’s 4th District. AP has not called the race, in which Laubacher led by 3,237 votes with about 98% counted, according to the Denver Gazette.
The same morning, Democrats greeted Laubacher with “huge applause” at their caucus meeting, Axios reporter Andrew Solender wrote on X.
A day before the meeting, Boebert had already chosen sides in the leadership races.
“We have a vote tomorrow. I’m supporting Tom Emmer for whip for sure,” Boebert told reporters on the Capitol steps Monday. “I can make an argument that no one in current leadership should remain.”
Boebert said she would make an exception for Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), the current majority whip, and endorsed Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) in the race for conference chair.
“Boebert plans to vote in the leadership elections,” Axios reporter Kate Santaliz wrote on X Tuesday morning, adding that Boebert would be back for the 1:30 p.m. vote.
If CNN’s projection holds, Boebert will leave Congress with no assets listed on her latest financial disclosure.
Boebert filed that report in September, listing only a personal loan of $10,000 to $15,000, two days after The Washington Sun reported she had missed her extended July 14 deadline.
“It indicates she’s broke,” investigative journalist Dave Levinthal wrote on X. Disclosure forms do not include lawmakers’ $174,000 salary or the value of a personal home.
Boebert has also spent what could be her final months in office standing by her eldest son, Tyler, 21, through multiple criminal cases.
Her son, 21, was arrested Aug. 9 and charged with felony sexual exploitation of a child, accused of recording himself having sex with a 17-year-old girl when he was 18, Colorado Politics reported. An attorney who has represented him did not return a message from Newsweek in August.
He was arrested Aug. 9 and charged in Garfield County with sexual exploitation of a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, accused of making and sharing video of himself having sex with a 17-year-old girl when he was 18, the Colorado Sun reported.
In a separate case, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child abuse after his toddler wandered out of the house. A judge sentenced him Sept. 4 to 20 days in a jail work release program after Lauren Boebert asked her to keep him at home. He also faced an attempted identity theft case in Garfield County.
“I love my son. We take these allegations very seriously and pray for everyone affected during this challenging time,” Boebert said after his August arrest.
“So I know CNN called my race, but we still have thousands of ballots in my district that need to be counted,” Boebert told reporters Monday, adding that she would accept “whatever comes of that” once military and overseas ballots are in.
Boebert has not conceded and is reportedly weighing a recount. Her campaign has alleged “unusual voting patterns” without providing evidence, UPI reported.
Under Colorado’s election calendar, voters have until Nov. 12 to fix problems with their ballots, which is also the deadline for military and overseas ballots to arrive. Counties must finish their canvass by Nov. 25.