Populist firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) declared Wednesday that she will not run in the special election for Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck’s seat.
Buck surprised Republicans by announcing Tuesday that he would leave Congress on March 22. This means a special election will be held on June 25 to temporarily fill the vacant seat in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. His early retirement would further reduce the House Republican majority.
Boebert, who currently serves in Colorado’s 4th Congress, announced earlier this year that she would run to replace Buck in the 3rd District. But on Wednesday, the councilman clarified that he has no intention of running in a special election to fill Buck’s vacancy. In order to do so, he would need to vacate his own seat.
In a post on “We are winning,” he claimed.
Republican Colorado Rep. Ken Buck to resign by the end of next week
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, speaks during a press conference at the Capitol on July 14, 2023 in Washington. Boebert announced Wednesday that she will not run in the special election to fill the seat vacated by retiring Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.). (AP Photo/Patrick Semanski)
“If we force an unnecessary special election on the same day as the primary election, voters will be confused, a lame-duck representative will be elected from the first day, and the 4th District will remain without a representative for more than three months. We deserve better,” Boebert said. .
“I do not intend to further jeopardize the already very slim Republican majority in the House by resigning my current seat, and I have made it clear that I am hungry while continuing to deliver on the priorities of my constituents. “For true conservatives, we will work hard to win the votes of the people of Colorado’s 4th Congressional District,” she continued.
“I am the only America First candidate supported by Mr. Trump in this race and will win the 4th District primary on June 25th and the general election on November 5th.”
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Colorado Republican Congressman Ken Buck speaks during a panel discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, February 27, 2021 in Orlando, Florida, USA. Buck surprised Republicans on Tuesday by announcing he would leave Congress on February 27, 2021. Next weekend. (Ilya Nouberge/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Buck will be leaving Congress after serving in the House of Representatives since 2014. He currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Although Mr. Buck has a conservative voting record, he has demonstrated a strong sense of independence, which has sometimes put him at odds with other Republicans.
Buck was one of three House Republicans who opposed the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Lauren Boebert changes districts and Ken Buck announces candidacy for vacated Colorado seat
Boebert announced in December that instead of seeking re-election in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, she would run for the House seat vacated by Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) in Colorado’s 4th District. Boebert claimed that the decision to hold a special election on the same day as the Republican primary to fill Buck’s vacancy was an attempt by the “establishment” to “rig” the election. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
After his resignation, the number of members of parliament will be 431. 218 Republicans and and 213 Democrats. Republicans can only lose two votes of their own on a particular issue.
The next special election will be held on April 30th for the seat held by former Congressman Brian Higgins of New York.
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If this seat remains in Democratic hands, the new breakdown would be 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats, for a total of 432 people. This effectively means the difference for Republicans is one seat.
If Republicans lose even two votes, it will be a tie and the House vote will fail, according to the rules.
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price and Chad Pergram contributed to this update.
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