Lauren Boebert election results: Democrat Adam Frisch concedes Colorado race

The Democratic House candidate who unexpectedly put Representative Lauren Boebert in a tough race for re-election conceded his race for Colorado’s 3rd district on Friday afternoon.

In a video discussion, Mr Frisch announced his race against Ms Boebert had come to an end.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Capitol Hill.

Eric Garcia, The Independent’s Washington bureau chief, takes a look at how the Rep Lauren Boebert’s seat became such a close race.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy revealed why he skipped outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s address announcing that she would step aside from her position as Democratic leader.

Mr McCarthy, largely expected to succeed Ms Pelosi as speaker of the House, told reporters he was busy in meetings.

Eric Garcia reports for The Independent.

In Colorado, recounts are automatically initiated when the margin between two candidates is less than 0.5 per cent of the leader’s vote total.

In this race, that threshold currently sits at 818 votes. At present there are just 551 votes separating Lauren Boebert and Adam Frisch.

As of Friday morning the vote totals are:

• Lauren Boebert: 50.8% (163,758 votes)
• Adam Frisch: 49.92% (163,207 votes)

Here’s the reaction to the video she posted to Twitter last night:

Before her election to Congress in 2020, Lauren Boebert first made headlines not as a politician but as a restauranteur. Her establishment, called Shooters, grabbed the public’s attention thanks to its wait staff openly carrying firearms during their shifts. She also refused to stop offering in-door dining during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During her campaign and congressional tenure, Ms Boebert has been criticised for saying she “hopes [QAnon] is true,” closeness with the Proud Boys right-wing gang, and claiming she is “with the militias.” She faced further scrutiny after aligning herself with the Capitol rioters on January 6 and tweeting “today is 1776” while Trump loyalists attacked the building and Capitol police.

Despite the race remaining too close to call, Lauren Boebert tried to declare herself the winner on Thursday night.

“We won! I am so thankful for all of your support and I am so proud to be your Representative!” she tweeted, along with a video claiming victory.

The election denier and Donald Trump ally was instantly mocked by people on social media who schooled her about the fact that there is currently no winner as the race is headed for a recount.

“You haven’t won. Nice try to just claim it anyway,” one person tweeted.

“Uh no. You know it’s going to a recount, right?” added another.

“Not yet Bobo. The narrow margin means there has to be a recount according to Colorado law. But we all know that facts aren’t your strong suit,” another person chimed in.

Others pointed to the fact she was echoing her idol Mr Trump and his lies about the 2020 election being “stolen”.

“She’s just laying groundwork to say it was stolen,” one person tweeted.

Before Election Day, The Independent’s Sheila Flynn talked with Adam Frisch about why he decided to run against Lauren Boebert, whose brand of “angertainment” motivated him to run against her.