Rep. Ken Buck, a well-known Republican best recognized for his work in Colorado’s 4th District, made the unexpected revelation that he would be leaving Congress at the end of the next week. The congressman, who has been active in politics for almost ten years, expressed his goals in a statement on X, considering his tenure in office as well as his future goals.
For the previous nine years, Buck remarked, “It has been an honor to serve the people of Colorado’s 4th District in Congress.” “I would want to express my gratitude to them for their encouragement and support throughout the years.
Buck stressed in his statement that he wanted to stay involved in politics but did not provide any explanation for his choice. “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 and with my family,” he wrote.
WATCH:
“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.” Buck declared when discussing his decision to leave the position with CNN’s Dana Bash. However, I’m departing because I believe there is work to be done elsewhere.
“This place has just devolved into this bickering and nonsense and not really doing the job for the American people,” he said in reference to the institution’s decline into inefficiency and small-scale disputes.
Due to Buck’s early departure, the Republicans’ slim majority—218 against the Democrats’ 213—will be reduced to 218 thanks to three vacant members. With this makeup, the Republicans would need just two votes to approve legislation that is purely partisan.
Since 2015, Buck (R-CO) has represented Colorado’s 4th congressional district in the US Congress. Prior to his election to Congress, he held the position of District Attorney for Weld County in Colorado, indicating his prior experience in prosecution.
In early October, the lawmaker voted with eight other Republicans to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
Buck hasn’t held back when criticizing the Republican Party’s positions on matters in the past. He has also voiced his dissatisfaction with the party’s commitment to Trump’s positions on the 2020 election and some of the stories surrounding the Capitol breach on January 6.
With Buck’s departure, the 4th District in Colorado is entering a transitional phase, and conversations about the district’s future political climate and possible successors are now underway.