Buck to retire next week, narrowing House GOP majority | The Hill
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
by Mychael Schnell - 03/12/24 2:09 PM ET
by Mychael Schnell - 03/12/24 2:09 PM ET
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) will retire from Congress next week, he announced Tuesday, a move that will narrow the House GOP's razor-thin majority even further.
Buck — who has become known for breaking from his party on various issues and criticizing Republicans on election denialism — announced last year that he would depart the House at the end of his current term, but he expedited that timeline Tuesday.
"It has been an honor to serve the people of Colorado's 4th District in Congress for the past 9 years. I want to thank them for their support and encouragement throughout the years. Today, I am announcing that I will depart Congress at the end of next week. I look forward to staying involved in our political process, as well as spending more time in Colorado with my family," he wrote in a statement.
The announcement from Buck, 65, puts a bookend on his nine-plus year tenure in Congress, which, in the past year, included a number of controversial votes that put him in direct conflict with other members of the House GOP conference — including his decision to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and his opposition to the effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
His impending departure will knock the House GOP's majority down by one, bringing the breakdown in the House to 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats. Buck's exit will not change the margin: Republicans will still only afford to lose two of their members on any party-line votes, assuming all lawmakers are present.
But his resignation will, nonetheless, decrease the cushion GOP lawmakers will have on those partisan measures, making it more difficult to pass messaging legislation in the coming months.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters he was "surprised" about Buck's announcement, noting that he did not know the news ahead of time.
A Buck spokesperson, however, said the Congressman left the Speaker a voicemail 30 minutes before his announcement went public.
In an interview with CNN after his announcement, Buck said this past year has been "the worst" of his nine-plus year tenure in Congress.
"It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I've been in Congress. And having talked to former members it's the worst year in 40, 50 years to be in Congress. But I'm leaving because I think there's a job to do out there that I want to go do," he said.
This story was updated at 3:13 p.m.
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Are we down to a majority margin we can count on one hand yet?
it doesn't diminish the fact that buck is still a no exception anti-choice asshole of the teabag persuasion. he's gone as far as he can in representing colorado and he sees the writing on the wall...
WP had this...
In other words "I'm getting too old for this shit"
that seat always attracts clod hoppers and thumper wackos.
if buck had any balls, or was really sincere about fixing congress, he'd call for the speaker's seat on his way out the door.
It isn't like he was going to run again anyway. And the seat would be voted on in November just like all the other house seats.
What's likely going to happen is Co GOP will send the governor some names to choose from to fill the seat for the next 10 months to keep the seat warm for who ever wins in the general.
The Colorado Govenor is a democrat, but according to the Colorado sun there has to be a special election, which makes it interesting for Boebert, she will have to resign to run for Bucks seat. so......the plot thickens.
I really don't see skanky the congressional church tramp voluntarily giving up any paychecks for 10 months...
She can live off the fools dumb enough to donate to her campaign for 10 months, or tricks in movie theaters.....but the chance of her not only leaving, but leaving early? let hope she goes full idiot for Bucks seat.
What you say is true basically, but between the resignation date and the "special election " date the seat would most likely be filled by a temporary holder, least that's how it works in most states, with the normal general election so close it makes no sense to hold an election for who would likely be a temp fill in.
As for the Governor being a Dem , doesn't matter, the seat is held by a republican, and being vacated by a republican , it would be up to the state GOP to replace who was being retired since they held the seat. That is usually how it works in most states, so I should add it depends on state law.
Looks like you were right, she is not forfeiting that government cheese to run for Bucks spot.
Good riddance to the RINO m'fkr. Wonder where he is going to show up....
CNN or MSNBC?