The unofficial results in the race for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District are close enough to warrant a mandatory recount, but The Associated Press and other outlets report that Democrat Adam Frisch has already conceded to incumbent Republican Lauren Boebert.
The AP still considers the race “too close to call” and will await the results of a potential recount to call the race.
According to the Colorado secretary of state, Boebert bested Frisch by 554 votes out of more than 327,000 votes counted.
That’s within the margin for the state to do a mandatory recount if the tallies hold when the state certifies the results in December.
By 12:30 p.m. Friday, all 27 counties in the district had completely reported their election results.
Colorado Public Radio reports that Boebert already claimed victory Thursday night on Twitter and Frisch called Boebert on Friday morning to concede.
“Thank you to every volunteer that made calls, knocked doors and of course to each of you that has entrusted me with your vote,” Boebert said in the video on Twitter. “I am honored to be your representative.”
According to the AP, Frisch said he supports the recount but thinks it would be unrealistic to expect the effort to flip enough votes for him to win.
In Boebert’s victory video on Twitter, she expressed a similar sentiment.
“My campaign team and our lawyers will definitely make sure everything is conducted properly” for the recount, Boebert said. “Past recounts in Colorado have resulted in far fewer votes being adjusted than anything that could affect the current outcome we’re seeing tonight in this race.”
Counties will now send certified election results to the secretary of state. Then, the secretary of state will inform counties how to proceed if the recount is warranted.
Frisch filed paperwork Thursday with the Federal Election Commission for his candidacy in the race for 3rd Congressional District in 2024.
He also announced his concession Friday morning in a Facebook live address and said that “it would be disingenuous and unethical for us or any other group … to continue to raise false hope and encourage fundraising for a recount.”
Frisch said in the video that he heard time and again during his campaign that “America is tired of the circus” and that he believes “we have more in common than we differ.”
“Loud voices are not invincible, and shouting will not solve problems,” Frisch said. “We do not have to let hate win, but we can come together and talk about issues that are important to our individual lives and our communities.”
