Former US Navy rear admiral and veteran India expert Eileen Laubacher defeated Lauren Boebert, a conservative firebrand and onetime close ally of US President Donald Trump, to win election to the US House of Representatives, CNN projected on Monday.
A member of the Democratic party, Laubacher edged out Boebert by just over 3,000 votes in a major upset victory that took nearly a week to confirm. She will represent Colorado’s 4th district, which was thought to be safely Republican, given that it backed Trump comfortably in the 2024 presidential election.
Prior to announcing her run for Congress, Laubacher held a series of high-level national security jobs that made her a crucial figure in the US-India relationship. She served as a military attache and senior defence official at the US Embassy in New Delhi, after which she returned to Washington for the crucial role of Senior Director for South Asia at the White House-based National Security Council (NSC).
Deep Dive
Who is Eileen Laubacher, and which Colorado House seat did she win?
What role did Eileen Laubacher play during the 2020 Galwan crisis?
How could Eileen Laubacher’s election affect US-India relations?
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{{/usCountry}}Laubacher is well known in both the US and Indian national security establishments for her key role during the 2020 Galwan crisis between India and China. At the height of the border crisis, she facilitated the supply of cold weather clothing to Indian troops and the sharing of crucial military intelligence with New Delhi.
“During the Galwan crisis, whether it was imagery, cold weather gear or other assets, we provided what India needed in record time. As the US Senior Defence Official in New Delhi, Eileen played a crucial and indispensable role in that process,” said Basant Sanghera, a State Department and NSC veteran who is now managing principal at the Asia Group, a geopolitical consultancy.
Other former colleagues said Laubacher is also known for her ability to build a rapport with Indian policymakers and military officials. Her elevation to the position of senior director for South Asia at the National Security Council in 2022 was seen as unusual, as the role has generally gone to political appointees. Her appointment as a serving military officer was seen as a reflection of her abilities, former colleagues told HT.
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During her time in Washington, Laubacher was credited with steering a major agreement with New Delhi to co-develop F414 engines for India’s Tejas Mk2 fighter jet. Her colleagues also credited her skill at managing bureaucratic differences within the US government to drive key priorities with India, like the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). People familiar with the details told HT that she played a key role in stabilising the US-India partnership in 2023 and 2024 after accusations surfaced that an Indian government official had directed a plot to assassinate noted pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Pannun.
Laubacher’s election to the House of Representatives will bolster the ranks of legislators with India experience, especially after the departure of several veteran lawmakers in January next year.
Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi, Shri Thanedar, Bill Huizenga and Brian Fitzpatrick – all key supporters of the US-India relationship – will leave the House in January. They will be joined by Texas Senator John Cornyn, who was seen as a reliable backer of the bilateral partnership in the upper chamber.
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“I think her election will be a very welcome development for the relationship. Having a person who can be a catalyst for driving US-India ties forward from Capitol Hill – both in terms of future cooperation and ability to provide guidance when the relationship hits a rough spot – will be important,” said Sanghera.
Her Republican rival Boebert is one of the most recognisable figures in Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, known for her combative style and a string of controversies.
A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Laubacher was commissioned into the navy in 1990 and was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 2018. In this, she followed her father, Vice Admiral Michael Haskins, who served as commander of US naval forces in Japan during the 1990s. She served in Bermuda, the United Kingdom and Afghanistan prior to her posting in India.