US election results: Who is Lauren Boebert - Colorado's Maga star?

In her archetypal word successful Congress, Lauren Boebert roseate to fame arsenic a 'Maga' phenomenon. The pro-Trump Republican was expected to glide to re-election successful blimpish occidental Colorado. Instead, arsenic the last votes are counted, she's facing a formidable situation from a middle-of-the-road Democrat.

In September 2019, Democratic statesmanlike campaigner Beto O'Rourke made a halt successful Aurora, Colorado. Mr O'Rourke had made weapon power cardinal to his campaign, and successful Aurora that time helium doubled down connected his telephone to prohibition semi-automatic weapons.

As helium spoke, astir of the assemblage clapped. Lauren Boebert did not.

Ms Boebert, 35, a edifice proprietor and parent of four, had driven 3 hours from her location successful Rifle, Colorado, to face Mr O'Rourke.

"I was 1 of the gun-owning Americans who heard you talk regarding your 'hell yes I'm going to instrumentality your AR-15s and AK-47s'," she said. "Well, I'm present to accidental 'hell, no, you're not'."

The infinitesimal - caught connected video - went viral and became a blimpish media talking point. A Republican prima was born.

Three months later, she announced her bid to correspond Colorado's 3rd legislature territory successful Congress.

The heckling occurrence captured overmuch of the benignant of Ms Boebert, the campaigner and, later, Ms Boebert the congresswoman: Combative, unrestrained and bold.

Her 2019 candidacy looked similar a agelong shot. To triumph the Republican information she had to bushed a five-term Trump-endorsed incumbent.

But during the run crossed the immense agrarian territory - an tremendous agelong of onshore covering fractional of Colorado - she "just perfectly outworked him," said Kevin McCarney, a section GOP authoritative successful Ms Boebert's district. "She's 5 feet if she's fortunate - but beatified cow, the energy."

Ms Boebert utilized that vigor to relentlessly onslaught her hostile from the right, telling voters she was the amended torch bearer for Mr Trump's Republican party. It paid off.

It was connected the run way - often with a weapon visibly holstered to her thigh - that Ms Boebert started to present herself. Growing up successful Colorado with her Democrat-voting mother, Ms Boebert described a puerility spent successful poverty, implicit with "humiliating" trips to the market store with thing but nutrient stamps to spend.

With her husband, lipid tract idiosyncratic Jayson Boebert, she started Shooters Grill, a edifice successful Rifle wherever servers openly carried guns.

"I'm surviving the American dream," she said. "I came up from welfare, lasting successful enactment waiting for authorities cheese, to present moving for Congress."

Much similar her run-in with Mr O'Rourke, Ms Boebert arrived successful Congress successful January 2021 acceptable for a fight.

In 1 of her archetypal days connected the job, she voted to overturn the predetermination results. Since then, she has picked relentless fights with her Democratic colleagues and heckled President Joe Biden during his 2022 State of the Union address. Keeping up her advocacy for weapon rights, she vowed to bring her handgun to the Capitol and drew attraction for a household vacation paper picturing her 4 young sons wielding rifles.

She did not walk a azygous portion of legislation.

Still, Ms Boebert had been considered a shoo-in for re-election connected Tuesday, presiding implicit an country wherever registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 9 points. Polling tract FiveThirtyEight enactment her likelihood of triumph astatine 97%.

And, successful her territory past month, voters spoke of their enthusiasm for her warring tone and hard-right instincts.

But determination were immoderate signs that that popularity mightiness beryllium fading, peculiarly among the mean members of her party. Prominent authorities Republicans, including authorities Senator Don Coram, who ran against Ms Boebert successful the primary, called her an "embarrassment" and endorsed her opponent, Democrat Adam Frisch.

Now, arsenic the last votes are counted, it looks similar Ms Boebert is warring for her governmental beingness against Mr Frisch, different governmental newcomer who campaigned arsenic a self-described blimpish businessman.

Speaking to Mr Frisch, 55, days earlier the election, the erstwhile metropolis councilman knew helium was the underdog. But helium besides thought that his opponent's abrasive benignant had made a astonishment upset possible.

"I deliberation [Boebert] has done a bully occupation connected opening up a immense allowance for idiosyncratic other to travel successful there," Mr Frisch told the BBC.

By Wednesday, the code from his campy became outright celebratory. "Hopefully soon Coloradans and Americans alike tin respire a suspiration of alleviation knowing that determination is 1 little extremist successful office," Mr Frisch said successful an email to supporters.

With immoderate 98% of the votes counted arsenic of Thursday afternoon, Ms Boebert had a razor-thin pb of astir 430 votes.

Her decision would mean a abrupt governmental extremity to 1 of the Maga movement's brightest stars.