Lauren Boebert - live: Republican says ‘of course’ she will win as Colorado election may be headed to recount

Rachel Sharp and Bevan Hurley
·43 min read
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Lauren Boebert has said she is confident she will hold onto her House seat as she widens her lead against Democratic challenger Adam Frisch – but the unexpected upset race continues to be too close to call.

When asked by reporters if she expects to win the race on Thursday, the Republican incumbent responded: “Of course I expect to win. It’ll be great.”

Ms Boebert is now leading by 1,122 votes in what has shaped up to be surprisingly close race for the US House seat in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

After trailing for much of the race, the Donald Trump ally clawed her way back to a lead on Thursday, now leading with 50.2 per cent of votes to Mr Frisch’s 49.8 per cent, with 99 per cent of votes reported.

The race could be headed for an automatic recount if the victorious party fails to win by a margin of more than 0.5 per cent.

The tight race came as something of a surprise to both Republicans and Democrats – as well as pollsters – after the controversial, gun-toting congresswoman had been expected to enjoy a comfortable reelection.

Boebert v Frisch

We read Lauren Boebert’s book so you don’t have to

10:00 , Rachel Sharp

Imagine you have just purchased Republican Representative Lauren Boebert’s new autobiographical book, “My American Life.”

You rush to her restaurant, Shooter’s Bar and Grill, to begin flipping through its pages. A waitress — pistol dangling from a holster on her hip — drops a menu on the table. You glance over it, your eyes stopping at the pork sliders. The fake news says they gave concert-goers diarrhea back in 2017. But you didn’t come all this way, to Rifle, Colorado, for lies. You want the truth — and it’s sitting right there in your hands. You dive in.

Read on:

We read Lauren Boebert’s new book so you don’t have to. Here’s what’s inside

ICYMI: Boebert’s Shooters Grill restaurant closes after landlord declines to extend lease

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lauren Boebert’s Shooters Grill in Colorado has closed down after the restaurant’s landlords refused to extend the lawmaker’s lease.

The Republican lawmaker’s eatery in the town of Rifle was famous for having waitresses armed with handguns and shut its doors for the final time on Sunday, she confirmed.

“We were like a family. I would say Shooters, for any employee, was their life,” she told The Post Independent about the restaurant that opened in May 2013.

Graeme Massie reports.

Lauren Boebert’s Shooters Grill closes after landlord declines to extend lease

Boebert slammed for 15 anti-veteran votes

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“I voted for four pro-veteran bills that were signed into law and led several amendments to provide funding for mental health and other important services for our veterans,” wrote Ms Boebert in a tweet during the campaign that also urged her followers to click and learn more about “the work I’m doing to support America’s heroes”.

Her opponent Mr Frisch fact-checked her via his own lengthy tweet-thread.

John Bowden reports.

Boebert slammed for 15 anti-veteran votes after boasting of support for troops

Earlier: Boebert mocked for awkward 17-hour silence after tweeting the ‘red wave has begun’

06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Online critics of Republican Lauren Boebert seemed to revel in the nail-biter close race the congresswoman remained locked in hours after polls closed in Colorado, with many pointing to her own social media silence as a sign that a potential loss could be imminent.

Lauren Boebert mocked for awkward 17-hour silence after tweeting ‘red wave has begun’

ICYMI: Did Lauren Boebert shoot a dog?

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A neighbour has backed up Rep Lauren Boebert’s denial that the congresswoman fatally shot a pet dog in her hometown of Silt, Colorado.

The bizarre story - the latest in Ms Boebert’s controversial rollercoaster career - exploded on social media after Yaritza Mendoza, describing herself as the MAGA Republican’s “next door neighbour,” detailed the alleged incident in a Facebook post.

Sheila Flynn looks into the story.

Did Lauren Boebert shoot a dog? Her neighbor speaks out

Why is Lauren Boebert in trouble in Colorado?

03:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Colorado congresswoman Lauren Boebert is a MAGA favourite but her Democratic challenger has been earning support from unlikely sources as he climbs the polls and rakes in donations. He says her “angertainment” turned off voters and many tell Sheila Flynn they agree.

‘People want the circus to stop’: Could Lauren Boebert be in trouble?

ICYMI: Boebert mocked as her ‘two words’ anti-Biden tweet backfires

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lauren Boebert’s attempted jab at President Joe Biden appeared to backfire as some people missed his gaffe referenced by the Colorado Republican.

“Two Words: Let’s Go Brandon!” Ms Boebert tweeted on Saturday, employing a euphemism used by conservatives meaning “f*** Joe Biden”.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

Lauren Boebert mocked as her ‘two words’ anti-Biden tweet backfires

Boebert broke post-election silence after 36 hours

00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The incumbent MAGA Republican congresswoman posted a vague tweet on her Twitter page on Thursday morning, making no mention of the tight race which threatens to oust her from Congress after just one term.

“Good morning! Jesus is Lord,” she simply wrote.

Rachel Sharp was following the race.

Lauren Boebert breaks 36-hour silence as she trails by 64 votes in Colorado race

Boebert used Trump and the Proud Boys to gain power – she got personal to defend her seat

Thursday 10 November 2022 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lauren Boebert, 35, who is running for re-election as a US Representative for Colorado, was among the first of a post-2016 breed of Maga-focused Republicans to win a major congressional seat.

Here’s how she gained power.

Everything to know about Lauren Boebert

How does Lauren Boebert’s hometown feel about her expected landslide not materialising?

Thursday 10 November 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The tight battle between Rep Lauren Boebert and Democrat Adam Frisch stunned even his backers. As the race teeters on a razors edge still too close to call, Sheila Flynn speaks to voters in Boebert’s divided hometown of Rifle, Colorado.

Here’s how Boebert’s hometown feels about her expected landslide win slipping away

Meanwhile in Arizona...

Thursday 10 November 2022 21:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Right-wing RepublicanKari Lake has gone on a media blitz claiming she has already won the race for governor in Arizona, despite results showing she still trails Katie Hobbs.

As of Thursday morning, Ms Hobbs, a Democrat, had 50.3 per cent of the votes counted to 49.7 per cent for Ms Lake, a pro-Trump former TV broadcaster.

The difference in votes counted for the two candidates in the state currently stands at more than 13,000.

Graeme Massie reports.

Kari Lake goes on media blitz to insist she’s already won Arizona governor election

How ‘women just went crazy’ and saved the country in the midterms

Thursday 10 November 2022 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Activists and organisers explain to John Bowden how polls and pundits underestimated the issue of abortion in the midterms.

How ‘women just went crazy’ and saved the country in the midterms

Latest ballot upload data from Pueblo County

Thursday 10 November 2022 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Anna Lyn Winfrey of Chieftan News reports on the latest ballot upload: “About 2,000 new ballots just uploaded from Pueblo, nearly doubling Lauren Boebert’s growing lead. Boebert is now up over Adam Frisch by 794 votes.”

She adds: “Pueblo clerk Bo Ortiz just estimated that most of these ballots were from in-person voters. Appears that most of the ~2,600 in-person ballots have now been reported. There’s still ~5,000 mail-in ballots to be tabulated in Pueblo.”

In addition Ms Winfrey reports: “A disproportionate amount of Republicans cast ballots in-person in Pueblo. GOPers are 24% of active registered voters in Pueblo County but they cast 38% of the in-person ballots.”

Democrat strategist posts apology for ‘OnlyFans’ comment

Thursday 10 November 2022 20:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat strategist Kurt Bardella has posted an apology following a sexist remark he made during a TV interview regarding Lauren Boebert and the video site OnlyFans.

In response to criticism by public health activist Alexandra Hunt, Mr Bardella wrote: “I appreciate your feedback and when someone from your vantage point weighs in - that warrants consideration and reflection. I’ll be more thoughtful about my words in the future. It is NEVER my intention to shame women. I apologize. Period.”

He added: “There is nothing wrong with consensual interactions on platforms like OnlyFans. Anyone suggesting otherwise in an effort to shame or judge really needs to examine their own perception of women and their autonomy.”

In conclusion, he wrote: “That said, I have zero appetite for the faux-outrage coming from the MAGA-ites because we all know they don’t give a rip about sexism, misogyny or equality. They are hypocrites of the first order. Just look at their standard-bearer.”

Latest polling figures show Boebert pulling ahead

Thursday 10 November 2022 20:38 , Oliver O'Connell

According to the Associated Press, Rep Lauren Boebert has extended her lead over Democratic rival Adam Frisch.

With 98 per cent of ballots counted, Ms Boebert had 50.1 per cent of the vote (159,029) to Mr Frisch’s 49.9 per cent (158,235), a lead of 794 votes.

Pueblo County feeling the pressure as ballot count continues

Thursday 10 November 2022 20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Annabelle Childers of Colorado’s KRDO tweets:

Murdoch turns against Trump in scathing New York Post cover and boosts DeSantis

Thursday 10 November 2022 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The New York Post, a Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper that’s long voiced its support for Donald Trump, shared a scathing cover of the former president that showed those loyalties may be eroding.

On Thursday, the right-leaning News Corp-owned paper published a stunning cover that featured a caricature of the one-term president precariously placed atop a wall with a headline that read, “TRUMPTY DUMPTY”, an allusion to the nursery rhyme character, Humpty Dumpty, who, as the poem goes, “had a great fall”.

“Don (who couldn’t build a great wall) had a great fall - can all the GOP’s men put the party back together again?” the front page headline continued, giving more than a heavy-handed hint that the newspaper does not endorse Mr Trump for another term, like they did in 2020.

The Independent’s Johanna Chisholm has the full story:

Murdoch turns against Trump in scathing New York Post cover: ‘TRUMPTY DUMPTY’

Boebert spotted in DC at Freedom Caucus roundtable

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:52 , Oliver O'Connell

'I voted for Adam Frisch. More of a vote against Boebert really’

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Marc Sallinger, a Denver-based reporter for 9 News, says he has heard the same reasoning from a number of people in Rep Boebert’s district as to why they voted against her.

“I voted for Adam Frisch. More of a vote against Boebert really,” one voter told him. “I don’t know too much about Frisch’s policies but I know that Boebert kind of spooks me as far as her antics and the sensationalism.”

Ana Navarro pitches in for Frisch

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:31 , Oliver O'Connell

TV host Ana Navarro has reposted Adam Frisch’s latest tweet, saying: “Folks, we can help ensure every vote gets counted, which hopefully results in Lauren Boebert not being in Congress and having much more free time to pose with her AR-15’s. Donate!”

Frisch ‘confident that each and every valid ballot will be counted'

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat Adam Frisch has tweeted that everyone in Colorado’s 3rd District deserves to have their voice heard regardless of their political affilaition, adding that he is confident each and every vote will be counted.

“In particular, we must honor and respect those who serve our country by ensuring that every military ballot is counted,” Mr Frisch says.

“Every vote matters in this incredibly close race and thousands of votes in Pueblo County and from military & overseas voters remain, and a considerable number of curable ballots remain as well.”

Boebert gains thin lead over Adam Frisch in Colorado election

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Lauren Boebert has moved ahead of Democratic challenger Adam Frisch for the House seat representing Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District by a thin margin in a tight race that has caught many off guard.

After trailing throughout Wednesday and into Thursday morning, Ms Boebert finally gained a small lead over Mr Frisch in the afternoon with 98 per cent of votes counted. As of 2pm local time Thursday, she holds 50.1 per cent to Mr Frisch’s 49.9 per cent - a difference of just 433 votes.

Rachel Sharp reports.

How is Lauren Boebert faring in midterms race?

Jen Psaki among social media users celebrating close race

Thursday 10 November 2022 18:30 , Rachel Sharp

Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was among the social media users celebrating the close race between Lauren Boebert and Adam Frisch on Wednesday.

“Just a shout out to my Dad who lives in her district and told me last month @laurenboebert could lose and I didn’t believe him,” she tweeted.

In a follow-up tweet, Ms Psaki added: “To be clear we don’t know yet! But the fact that we are talking about it and watching is huge.”

Is Colorado headed for a recount?

Thursday 10 November 2022 18:15 , Rachel Sharp

In Colorado, an automatic recount is triggered if a candidate wins by a margin of 0.5 per cent or less of the leading candidate’s total votes.

This means that, to avoid a recount, either Lauren Boebert or Adam Frisch would need to lead by around 788 votes.

If a recount is triggered, it must be completed within 35 days of election day.

Lauren Boebert celebrates taking the lead

Thursday 10 November 2022 18:00 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert celebrated the news that she had finally taken the lead against her Democratic challenger, tweeting on Thursday: “Winning!”

Her social media post comes as the latest tally reveals that she is now leading Adam Frisch by 386 votes, with 98 per cent of votes reported.

The race is still too close to call.

Ms Boebert’s Twitter celebration comes after fell uncharacteristically silent on election night and all throughout Wednesday when votes poured in and revealed that her reelection big could be in trouble.

Lauren Boebert inches past Adam Frisch

Thursday 10 November 2022 17:45 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert has now inched past Adam Frisch in the race for the US House seat in Colorado.

After trailing for much of the race, the Donald Trump ally has clawed her way back to a lead of 386 votes.

Ms Boebert is now leading with 50.1 per cent of votes to Mr Frisch’s 49.9 per cent, with 98 per cent of votes reported.

Adam Frisch says tight race shows ‘every vote matters'

Thursday 10 November 2022 17:30 , Rachel Sharp

Adam Frisch, the Democrat who is causing an upset for Lauren Boebert, has said that the tight race shows how “every vote matters”.

“It is a lesson to everybody that every single vote matters,” he told Joy Reid on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” on Wednesday night.

Mr Frisch said that he had always expected the race to be tight and said that he didn’t “want to get over my skis” despite leading the incumbent Republican.

US midterms: Who won, who lost and what we know so far

Thursday 10 November 2022 17:00 , Rachel Sharp

As the results began to roll in from America’s midterm elections, it quickly became clear that the contest had been much closer than expected and the outcome more nail-biting and unpredictable than many had foreseen.

The Republicans appear poised to secure a majority in the House of Representatives, while Democrats are favoured to hold onto the Senate, with split control potentially complicating Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.

But the “red tsunami” that many blustering conservative commentators had confidently forecast was about to level Washington DC has most certainly not materialised.

Here’s who won, who lost and what we know so far:

US midterms: Who won, who lost and what we know so far

We read Lauren Boebert’s new book so you don’t have to. Here’s what’s inside:

Thursday 10 November 2022 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Imagine you have just purchased Republican Representative Lauren Boebert’s new autobiographical book, “My American Life.”

You rush to her restaurant, Shooter’s Bar and Grill, to begin flipping through its pages. A waitress — pistol dangling from a holster on her hip — drops a menu on the table. You glance over it, your eyes stopping at the pork sliders. The fake news says they gave concert-goers diarrhea back in 2017. But you didn’t come all this way, to Rifle, Colorado, for lies. You want the truth — and it’s sitting right there in your hands. You dive in.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi reveals what’s in the congresswoman’s book:

We read Lauren Boebert’s new book so you don’t have to. Here’s what’s inside

Adam Frisch ran against Boebert’s ‘angertainment'

Thursday 10 November 2022 16:00 , Rachel Sharp

Prior to election day, Adam Frisch told The Independent that he decided to take on the MAGA Republican in the race for her US House seat in response to her “angertainment”.

He said that this phrase is what “Representative Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene and a lot of other people are - and there’s some on the left, as well - that use this kind of just ... yelling and screaming. I mean, a lot of time on Twitter, a lot of time on the cable news networks and not really focusing on the job at hand.”

Mr Frisch, a currency trader who served on the Aspen, Colorado city council for eight years, added that he found some of her bizarre comments “disgusting and anti-ethical to America”.

“I was thinking, you know, if a moderate, pragmatic, pro-business Democrat could get by the Democratic primary, which wouldn’t be easy – and it wasn’t – I thought I could build a coalition,” he said.

Adam Frisch thinks Lauren Boebert won’t go down quietly

Thursday 10 November 2022 15:30 , Rachel Sharp

Adam Frisch has revealed that he is not expecting Lauren Boebert to go down quietly if the people of Colorado elect him over her in the US House.

Mr Frisch told Joy Reid on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” on Wednesday night that he thinks the incumbent Republican will “probably battle” if she loses to the Democrat.

“That generates money, and that’s all part of the anger-tainment industry,” he said.

Ms Boebert, a gun-toting, Donald Trump ally, had been expected to comfortably win her reelection campaign.

But, Mr Frisch has sparked an upset and is currently leading her with a razor thin edge of 64 points.

Boebert posts election meme

Thursday 10 November 2022 15:00 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert posted a meme appearing to mock the counting of votes in her home state of Colorado.

The incumbent congresswoman shared the image on Twitter on Thursday, after making a comeback to social media following 36 hours of silence during her tight race.

Ms Boebert fell uncharacteristically quiet on Tuesday night and all throughout Wednesday when votes started being counted and results poured in, prompting her to realise her race wasn’t turning out as she planned.

Here’s how Lauren Boebert’s hometown feels about her expected landslide win slipping away

Thursday 10 November 2022 14:30 , Rachel Sharp

A new tenant was cleaning out the space that formerly housed Lauren Boebert’s restaurant on Wednesday – the infamous Shooters sign gone – as the congresswoman continued to trail her Democratic challenger nearly 20 hours after polls closed in Colorado.

The shell of the gun-themed eatery on Rifle’s main street - after the landlord decided not to renew its lease over the summer - was a fitting parallel to the career of Shooters’ former owner.

Boebert had been projected to easily beat Adam Frisch, the former Aspen City Council member running against her, but he maintained a lead throughout Wednesday, the race too close to call.

By the evening, the tallies had levelled at 50/50.

It was a clear punch to the gut for the wider MAGA movement as well as for Boebert, who’d haughtily tweeted on Election Day: “The red wave has begun!!”

Social media users had a field day highlighting the dichotomy between Boebert’s Tuesday Twitter swagger and the subsequent evaporation of the landslide she so publicly anticipated. But in her constituency, voters were keeping their attention on results as they narrowed to double digits.

The Independent’s Sheila Flynn reveals what voters in Ms Boebert’s hometown feel about the race:

Here’s how Boebert’s hometown feels about her expected landslide win slipping away

Boebert finally breaks 36-hour silence

Thursday 10 November 2022 14:00 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert has finally broken her 36-hour silence as she continues to trail behind Democrat Adam Frisch in the race for the US House seat in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

The incumbent MAGA Republican congresswoman posted a vague tweet on her Twitter page on Thursday morning, which made no mention of the ongoing tight race.

“Good morning! Jesus is Lord,” she wrote.

Ms Boebert fell uncharacteristically quiet on Tuesday night and all throughout Wednesday when votes started being counted and results poured in, prompting her to realise her race wasn’t turning out as she planned.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:

Lauren Boebert breaks 36-hour silence as she trails by 64 votes in Colorado race

Tight race for Boebert caught everyone off guard

Thursday 10 November 2022 13:30 , Rachel Sharp

The tight race between Lauren Boebert and Adam Frisch comes as something of a surprise to both Republicans and Democrats – as well as pollsters – after the controversial, gun-toting congresswoman had been expected to enjoy a comfortable reelection.

Ms Boebert’s 2022 campaign was one of the most expensive House races across the US, with the far-right incumbent raising over $6.6m in campaign contributions in the run-up to the midterms, according to data from Open Secrets.

None of the mainstream polling groups had even surveyed voters in the race for the House seat, indicating the shock factor that it has now shaped up to be a close race.

Ms Boebert had easily sailed to victory in the Republican primary, earning two in every three votes.

However, she only won the seat in 2020 with 51 per cent of votes.

A loss for Ms Boebert would be a surprise upset for Republicans, whose so-called “red wave” has failed to materialise.

It could also raise questions about Donald Trump’s future in the GOP if one of the most infamous MAGA Republicans fails to hold onto her seat.

The endorsements that helped and hindered during the midterms

Thursday 10 November 2022 13:00 , Bevan Hurley

Leading up to the midterm elections, Republican candidates fought for an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

However, rather than being a golden ticket, it seems that Mr Trump’s endorsement is more of a coin flip; according to polling data from midterm contests that have been called, the former president’s preferred candidates were only successful in about half the House and governor races, though so far have been doing well in Senate races.

Graig Graziosi has the full story.

Trump endorsed candidates fare well in Senate but poor everywhere else

Who is Adam Frisch?

Thursday 10 November 2022 12:30 , Rachel Sharp

Adam Frisch, 55, is caught in a close race with Lauren Boebert for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

Mr Frisch is a former currency trader who served eight years on Aspen City Council.

A married father of two, he was unaffiliated with any party for decades before joining the Democratic Party in 1992.

He told The Independent that he decided to run against Ms Boebert because he found some of her comments “disgusting and anti-ethical to America” and opposed her brand of “angertainment”.

Calling himself a “numbers person,” Mr Frisch said that the fact that Ms Boebert only won 51 per cent of the vote when she was elected in 2020 also “caught my eye”.

“I was thinking, you know, if a moderate, pragmatic, pro-business Democrat could get by the Democratic primary, which wouldn’t be easy - and it wasn’t - I thought I could build a coalition,” he said.

Who is Lauren Boebert?

Thursday 10 November 2022 12:00 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert, 35, was among the first of a post-2016 breed of MAGA-focused Republicans to win a major congressional seat.

Ms Boebert is the daughter of a single mother and has spoken at length about her upbringing struggling with poverty and a single-parent home.

The congresswoman 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.

Ms Boebert made national headlines again after she disrupted a campaign event held by then-Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, who had run on tightening gun control measures to curb shooting violence in the country. She was armed when she crashed the event and defied Mr O’Rourke’s claim that he wanted to confiscate assault weapons.

Later that year she announced her candidacy for the state’s 3rd Congressional District, challenging then-incumbent Scott Tipton. Ms Boebert ran a campaign largely rooted in MAGA-ideology and loyalty to former President Donald Trump, and has continued to promote nationalist ideals during her time in Congress.

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.

Ms Boebert is married to her husband, Jayson, and the couple have four sons.

Trump urged to delay 2024 run announcement

Thursday 10 November 2022 11:30 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert isn’t the only MAGA Republican to struggle in the midterms.

Several GOP candidates endorsed by Donald Trump lost their races, including TV doctor Mehmet Oz who was beaten to the US Senate seat in Pennsylvania by Democrat John Fetterman.

Now, Republican leaders and allies are urging former president Donald Trump to delay his 2024 presidential announcement to “look at realities on the ground” amid setbacks for the GOP in midterm elections.

The Independent’s Shweta Sharma has the full story:

Trump urged to delay 2024 announcement amid midterms setbacks for Republican party

Boebert used Trump and the Proud Boys to gain power – then she got personal to defend her seat

Thursday 10 November 2022 11:00 , Bevan Hurley

During Lauren Boebert’s election run, she tried to tie rival Adam Frisch to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and of being an out-of-touch elitist for formerly living in Aspen and serving on its city council.

She also alleged he “succumbed to blackmail” while serving on the councils, a claim Mr Frisch said he wished not to elaborate on to avoid adding “fuel to the fire”.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi has the full story:

Everything to know about Lauren Boebert

Race on a knife with 64 votes in it

Thursday 10 November 2022 10:28 , Rachel Sharp

The race between Lauren Boebert and Adam Frisch has gone down to the wire with the Democratic challenger now leading by just 64 votes.

By early on Thursday morning, 99 per cent of all votes had been reported for the US House seat in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, with the two candidates neck and neck with 50 per cent of the vote each.

Mr Frisch still holds a narrow lead, with 156,746 votes to Ms Boebert’s 156,682, though the race remains too close to call.

The Democrat had been enjoyed a comfortable lead over the far-right Republican but the race has now narrowed after votes from more right-leaning counties were reported.

‘People want the circus to stop’

Thursday 10 November 2022 09:01 , Bevan Hurley

Few were picking Lauren Boebert’s Congressional race to go down to the wire.

“She is the incumbent; she represents a plus-nine Republican district; she’s outraised Adam Frisch, so she has more money to spend for her campaign,” Justin Gollob, a political science professor, told The Independent’s Sheila Flynn.

“Her name recognition is higher than Adam Frisch’s. Probably one of his biggest liabilities at this point is his lower name recognition.

“All those signs point to a fairly convincing win. So what’s really a surprise, at this point, is that we’re even having this conversation about the competitiveness of this race.”

Read Sheila’s fascinating report on how Ms Boebert’s “angertainment” alienated voters.

‘People want the circus to stop’: Could Lauren Boebert be in trouble?

Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock headed to runoff election in Georgia

Thursday 10 November 2022 07:01 , Bevan Hurley

Georgia’s Senate race is headed to a runoff after both Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock failed to garner more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Several networks projected the race would head to a 6 December runoff on Wednesday afternoon.

That could mean that the outcome of the race and control of the upper chamber of Congress will once again come down to voters in Georgia.

Georgia Senate race headed to runoff as majority hangs in the balance

Adam Kinzinger mocks ‘loser’ Trump in withering attack

Thursday 10 November 2022 05:01 , Bevan Hurley

Illinois congressman Adam Kinzinger mocked Donald Trump supporters on Wednesday, after a sponsored post on Truth Social network claimed the former president was “prophesied” in the Bible.

“Interesting,” the Illinois Republican wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. “Googles Bible verses with ‘loser’ in them.”

Josh Marcus has more.

Adam Kinzinger mocks ‘loser’ Trump in withering attack

Biden takes a victory lap after midterms success

Thursday 10 November 2022 04:00 , Bevan Hurley

In his first remarks since the midterms, Joe Biden praised Democrats’ performance in House races and how the party held many Senate races.

“While the press and the pundits are predicting a ‘giant red wave,’ it didn’t happen,” he told reporters.

“And I know you were somewhat miffed by my obssessive optimism but I felt good during the whole process.”

‘Democrats had a strong night’: Biden takes a victory lap after midterms success

Trump was actually the biggest winner in the midterm elections — and this is why

Thursday 10 November 2022 03:00 , Bevan Hurley

When the Republican party inevitably retakes the House and McCarthy scraps the January 6 committe, Trump will be bullying and trampling over DeSantis — maybe all the way to Oval Office, writes Andrew Buncombe.

Trump was actually the biggest winner in the midterm elections

Abortion wasn’t supposed to matter in the midterms

Thursday 10 November 2022 02:00 , Bevan Hurley

In states where abortion was on the ballot, people overwhelmingly voted to support access to the procedure — and where anti-abortion candidates stood for election, voters tended not to favor them, The Independent’s Clémence Michallon writes.

“Exit polls show that voters cared a lot more about abortion than expected: It was the second most important issue they kept in mind, according to NBC News’s polling, right behind inflation and far ahead of crime, gun policy, and immigration.

“And in states where abortion was explicitly on the ballot, people voted to support access to the procedure.”

Abortion rights advocates count ‘seismic’ victories in US elections

Abortion wasn’t supposed to matter in the midterms

Thursday 10 November 2022 01:00 , Bevan Hurley

In states where abortion was on the ballot, people overwhelmingly voted to support access to the procedure — and where anti-abortion candidates stood for election, voters tended not to favor them, The Independent’s Clémence Michallon writes.

“Exit polls show that voters cared a lot more about abortion than expected: It was the second most important issue they kept in mind, according to NBC News’s polling, right behind inflation and far ahead of crime, gun policy, and immigration.

“And in states where abortion was explicitly on the ballot, people voted to support access to the procedure.”

Abortion wasn’t supposed to matter in the midterms. Republicans got a rude awakening

Lauren Boebert mocked for hours of silence after tweeting ‘Red wave has begun’

Thursday 10 November 2022 00:00 , Bevan Hurley

“The red wave has begun!” tweeted Lauren Boebert on Tuesday as she congratulated fellow Republican Anna Paulina Luna, who was one of the first House races to be called by the Associated Press.

In the 17 hours since, as she has trailed Democratic challenger Adam Frisch, Ms Boebert has been curiously silent.

Filling the void have been her many detractors on social media.

Johanna Chisholm has the story.

Lauren Boebert mocked for awkward 17-hour silence after tweeting ‘red wave has begun’

Young voters overwhelmingly supported Democrats in midterms

Wednesday 9 November 2022 23:30 , Bevan Hurley

Voters aged from 18 to 29 overwhelmingly went for Democratic candidates, according to exit polls from the National Election Pool.

Sixty-three per cent of voters in that age group voted for Democratic House candidates, according to the poll, while 35 per cent voted for Republicans.

John Bowden explains how Gen Z helped Democrats stave off a red wave.

‘Thank you Gen Z!’ How young voters saved the Democrats

‘Furious’ Trump blames Melania for telling him to back Dr Oz

Wednesday 9 November 2022 23:00 , Bevan Hurley

In case you were wondering how things are going at Mar-a-Lago today, Donald Trump is apparently lashing out at everyone — including wife Melania — over the poor midterm showing from candidates he supported.

“Trump is indeed furious this morning, particularly about Mehmet Oz, and is blaming everyone who advised him to back Oz, including his wife, describing it as not her best decision, according to people close to him,” Maggie Haberman of The New York Times tweeted on Wednesday morning.

Gustav Kilander has the full story.

‘Furious’ and ‘livid’ Trump blames Melania for telling him to back Dr Oz

Adam Frisch urges voters to ensure their ballots are counted

Wednesday 9 November 2022 22:05 , Bevan Hurley

Lauren Boebert’s opponent Adam Frisch is encouraging voters to check their ballots were legally cast.

“We need every vote! Ensure your ballot has been counted,” he tweeted a short time ago.

“If you have received a ballot rejection letter from your county clerk, you can fix it via text! Text ‘colorado’ to the SofS at 28683 and follow prompts to fix any errors.”

President Biden says Tuesday was a ‘good day for democracy'

Wednesday 9 November 2022 21:45 , Bevan Hurley

Addressing the nation for the first time since the midterms, Joe Biden said Tuesday’s results were a “good day for democracy”.

“While the press and pundits were predicting a red wave, it did not happen.”

Abortion wasn’t supposed to matter in the midterms

Wednesday 9 November 2022 21:31 , Bevan Hurley

In states where abortion was on the ballot, people overwhelmingly voted to support access to the procedure — and where anti-abortion candidates stood for election, voters tended not to favor them, The Independent’s Clémence Michallon writes.

“Exit polls show that voters cared a lot more about abortion than expected: It was the second most important issue they kept in mind, according to NBC News’s polling, right behind inflation and far ahead of crime, gun policy, and immigration.

“And in states where abortion was explicitly on the ballot, people voted to support access to the procedure.”

Abortion wasn’t supposed to matter in the midterms. Republicans got a rude awakening

Lauren Boebert gains ground, but still behind

Wednesday 9 November 2022 21:11 , Bevan Hurley

With 95 per cent of the votes now tallied in Colorado’s third congressional district, Lauren Boebert trails her Democratic opponent Adam Frisch by 2200 votes.

The New York Times is still predicting Ms Boebert will win the contest, based on the counties where votes are yet to be counted.

In Montrose, Delta and Mesa counties, Ms Boebert has racked up a significant lead on Mr Frisch.

Mr Frisch is performing better in Pueblo, La Plata and Garfield counties.

Inside John Fetterman’s fairytale campaign

Wednesday 9 November 2022 21:00 , Bevan Hurley

John Fetterman’s rise seemed both unlikely and inevitable, writes The Independent’s Richard Hall.

“Unlikely because he was an unashamed progressive running in a swing state during an election year that was expected to punish Democrats. Inevitable because he had built what many considered to be a movement campaign, powered by vibes and memes.”

Read Richard’s full account from inside the Fetterman campaign.

Inside John Fetterman’s remarkable fairytale campaign

Young voters overwhelmingly supported Democrats in midterms

Wednesday 9 November 2022 20:35 , Bevan Hurley

Voters aged from 18 to 29 overwhelmingly went for Democratic candidates, according to exit polls from the National Election Pool.

Sixty-three per cent of voters in that age group voted for Democratic House candidates, according to the poll, while 35 per cent voted for Republicans.

John Bowden explains how Gen Z helped Democrats stave off a red wave.

Young voters surged to Democrats in midterm elections to stave off red wave

Abortion rights advocates count ‘seismic’ victories

Wednesday 9 November 2022 20:11 , Bevan Hurley

Five months after the US Supreme Court revoked a constitutional right to abortion, voters in three states were the first to enshrine an explicit right to abortion care in their state constitutions.

Voters in Michigan joined Vermont and California to enshrine protections for abortion care in their state constitutions, while voters in Kentucky and Montana appear to have shot down anti-abortion measures in their states.

Alex Woodward takes a closer look at the states that chose to protect abortion rights.

Abortion rights advocates count ‘seismic’ victories in US elections

Lauren Boebert mocked for hours of silence after tweeting ‘Red wave has begun’

Wednesday 9 November 2022 19:50 , Bevan Hurley

“The red wave has begun!” tweeted Lauren Boebert on Tuesday as she congratulated fellow Republican Anna Paulina Luna, who was one of the first House races to be called by the Associated Press.

In the 17 hours since, as she has trailed Democratic challenger Adam Frisch, Ms Boebert has been curiously silent.

Filling the void have been her many detractors on social media.

Johanna Chisholm has the story.

Lauren Boebert mocked for hours of silence after tweeting ‘Red wave has begun’

‘Furious’ Trump blames Melania for telling him to back Dr Oz

Wednesday 9 November 2022 19:32 , Bevan Hurley

In case you were wondering how things are going at Mar-a-Lago today, Donald Trump is apparently lashing out at everyone — including wife Melania — over the poor midterm showing from candidates he supported.

“Trump is indeed furious this morning, particularly about Mehmet Oz, and is blaming everyone who advised him to back Oz, including his wife, describing it as not her best decision, according to people close to him,” Maggie Haberman of The New York Times tweeted on Wednesday morning.

Gustav Kilander has the full story.

‘Furious’ and ‘livid’ Trump blames Melania for telling him to back Dr Oz

Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock headed to runoff election in Georgia

Wednesday 9 November 2022 19:12 , Bevan Hurley

Georgia’s Senate race is headed to a runoff after both Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock failed to garner more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Several networks projected the race would head to a 6 December runoff on Wednesday afternoon.

That could mean that the outcome of the race and control of the upper chamber of Congress will once again come down to voters in Georgia.

Georgia Senate race headed to runoff as majority hangs in the balance

The Democrats’ apocalypse was canceled — largely thanks to Donald Trump

Wednesday 9 November 2022 18:50 , Bevan Hurley

The Democrats avoided a blood moon bloodbath largely thanks to one man, The Independent’s senior Washington correspondent Eric Garcia writes.

“Trump set Republicans up for failure the moment he and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rammed through Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation right before the 2020 presidential election.

“That teed up the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade with its decision in Dobbs v Jackson. Had that not happened, Democrats would have been looking at a catastrophic midterm on the scale of their historic rout in 2010. Instead, the decision galvanized their base in a way almost no issue ever could.”

Read Eric’s piece below.

The Democrats’ apocalypse was canceled — largely thanks to Donald Trump

Trump’s influence damaged as his chosen candidates go down

Wednesday 9 November 2022 18:30 , Bevan Hurley

About half of Donald Trump’s chosen candidates for Congress suffered losses, denting the former president’s influence as he is widdely expected to formally launch another presidential bid.

A final analysis of the night put the number at roughly 80 of Mr Trump’s 174 congressional endorsements making it to Capitol Hill, a number that includes incumbents.

John Bowden has the full story.

Trump’s influence takes a hit as half of his congressional picks go down

‘People want the circus to stop’

Wednesday 9 November 2022 18:11 , Bevan Hurley

Few were picking Lauren Boebert’s Congressional race to go down to the wire.

“She is the incumbent; she represents a plus-nine Republican district; she’s outraised Adam Frisch, so she has more money to spend for her campaign,” Justin Gollob, a political science professor, told The Independent’s Sheila Flynn.

“Her name recognition is higher than Adam Frisch’s. Probably one of his biggest liabilities at this point is his lower name recognition.

“All those signs point to a fairly convincing win. So what’s really a surprise, at this point, is that we’re even having this conversation about the competitiveness of this race.”

Read Sheila’s fascinating report on how Ms Boebert’s “angertainment” alienated voters.

‘People want the circus to stop’: Could Lauren Boebert be in trouble?

Watch: Craziest moments from US midterm election night

Wednesday 9 November 2022 17:50 , Bevan Hurley

Standout moments from the midterm elections include Arizona GOP candidate Kari Lake promising to be a “nightmare” for journalists, Mike Lindell claiming “90 per cent of the country votes Republican,” and Tudor Dixon refusing to concede the Michigan governor’s race.

Watch below.

Craziest moments from US midterm election night

Social media users troll Boebert over potential loss

Wednesday 9 November 2022 17:30 , Rachel Sharp

Social media users have begun trolling Lauren Boebert over a potential loss in the midterms.

With the Republican still trailing her Democratic rival on Wednesday afternoon, many people took to Twitter to celebrate the possibility that she might be defeated and to mull what job Ms Boebert could do next.

“While the race has not been officially called, we can confirm that a Dancing With The Stars representative HAS reached out tonight to Lauren Boebert,” tweeted actor Bradley Whitford.

Another social media user posted a meme of a McDonald’s sign, open to hiring the Colorado congresswoman.

Meanwhile, another shared a meme of the Joker giving directions to a clown, captioning it: “Madison Cawthorn showing Lauren Boebert around the Unemployment Office.”

“Boebert” was also trending with the tight race coming as something of a surprise to both Republicans and Democrats – as well as pollsters.

US midterms: Who won, who lost and what we know so far

Wednesday 9 November 2022 17:10 , Rachel Sharp

As the results began to roll in from America’s midterm elections on Tuesday night, it quickly became clear that the contest had been much closer than expected and the outcome more nail-biting and unpredictable than many had foreseen.

The Republicans appear close to securing a majority in the House of Representatives at the time of writing and could yet sneak an advantage in the Senate too, which would allow them to play havoc with Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.

But the “red tsunami” that many blustering conservative commentators had confidently forecast was about to level Washington DC has most certainly not materialised.

Find out who won, who lost and what we know so far:

US midterms: Who won, who lost and what we know so far

Frisch still leading Boebert by 1.2%

Wednesday 9 November 2022 16:50 , Rachel Sharp

Adam Frisch is still enjoying a 1.2 percentage point lead over Lauren Boebert in the race for the Colorado House seat.

Mr Frisch, a Democrat, is leading with 50.6 per cent of the votes, to Ms Boebert’s 49.4 per cent, with 93 per cent of votes now reported.

Voices: Polls got it wrong about the midterm election results. Here’s why

Wednesday 9 November 2022 16:40 , Rachel Sharp

Polls got it wrong about the midterm election results. Here’s why From large numbers of independent voters to suburban women to younger voters turning up in better-than-expected numbers, the Democrats had some unexpected advantages.

And even where Republicans are winning, it may be more due to redistricting than the popularity of their own candidates.

Michael Salfino explains more:

Polls got it wrong about the midterm election results. Here’s why

‘A complete crock’: Political observers mock Trump and GOP’s ‘red wave’ failing during midterms

Wednesday 9 November 2022 16:30 , Rachel Sharp

Ahead of the 2022 midterms, Republicans, former presidents, journalists, podcasters, and even some prominent Democrats like California governor Gavin Newsom were predicting a “red wave” of GOP victories that would flip control of Congress.

Former president Donald Trump claimed there would be a “red wave because of crime.” Senator Ted Cruz of Texas predicted not just a red wave, but a “red tsunami.” Radio host Joe Rogan said the wave would look like the elevators full of blood in the classic horror film The Shining.

The 2022 midterms won’t be remembered as a political bloodbath; even though the party rode into the election against an unpopular president, during an off year and high inflation and gas prices—all reliable predictors of a backlash against the party in the White House.

The Independent’s Josh Marcus has the full story:

‘A complete crock’: Political observers mock Trump and GOP’s ‘red wave’ failing

Boebert used Trump and the Proud Boys to gain power – then she got personal to defend her seat

Wednesday 9 November 2022 16:18 , Rachel Sharp

During Lauren Boebert’s election run, she tried to tie rival Adam Frisch to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and of being an out-of-touch elitist for formerly living in Aspen and serving on its city council.

She also alleged he “succumbed to blackmail” while serving on the councils, a claim Mr Frisch said he wished not to elaborate on to avoid adding “fuel to the fire”.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi has the full story:

Everything to know about Lauren Boebert

Who is Adam Frisch?

Wednesday 9 November 2022 16:05 , Rachel Sharp

Adam Frisch, 55, is caught in a close race with Lauren Boebert for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.

Mr Frisch is a former currency trader who served eight years on Aspen City Council.

A married father of two, he was unaffiliated with any party for decades before joining the Democratic Party in 1992.

He told The Independent that he decided to run against Ms Boebert because he found some of her comments “disgusting and anti-ethical to America” and opposed her brand of “angertainment”.

Calling himself a “numbers person,” Mr Frisch said that the fact that Ms Boebert only won 51 per cent of the vote when she was elected in 2020 also “caught my eye”.

“I was thinking, you know, if a moderate, pragmatic, pro-business Democrat could get by the Democratic primary, which wouldn’t be easy - and it wasn’t - I thought I could build a coalition,” he said.

Who is Lauren Boebert?

Wednesday 9 November 2022 15:55 , Rachel Sharp

Lauren Boebert, 35, was among the first of a post-2016 breed of MAGA-focused Republicans to win a major congressional seat.

Ms Boebert is the daughter of a single mother and has spoken at length about her upbringing struggling with poverty and a single-parent home.

The congresswoman 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.

Ms Boebert made national headlines again after she disrupted a campaign event held by then-Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, who had run on tightening gun control measures to curb shooting violence in the country. She was armed when she crashed the event and defied Mr O’Rourke’s claim that he wanted to confiscate assault weapons.

Later that year she announced her candidacy for the state’s 3rd Congressional District, challenging then-incumbent Scott Tipton. Ms Boebert ran a campaign largely rooted in MAGA-ideology and loyalty to former President Donald Trump, and has continued to promote nationalist ideals during her time in Congress.

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.

Ms Boebert is married to her husband, Jayson, and the couple have four sons.