Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) announced Tuesday that he will resign from Congress at the end of next week, further eroding the already razor-thin House Republican majority.
Buck made the announcement Tuesday in a press release shared with X.
Statement regarding Congressman Ken Buck’s departure from Congress. pic.twitter.com/orjSzenZnv
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) March 12, 2024
“It has been an honor to serve the people of Colorado’s 4th Congressional District in Congress for the past nine years,” Buck wrote. “I would like to thank them for their support and encouragement over the years.”
“Today I announce that I will be leaving Congress at the end of next week,” he continued. “I look forward to continuing to participate in our political process and spending more time with my family in Colorado.”
Buck was one of eight Republicans who voted in favor of the motion to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). He also opposed the candidacy of Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to succeed Mr. McCarthy, and shortly after announced that he would not seek re-election. In late December, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) revealed She will run for re-election in Buck’s district, blaming Democratic “dark money” who are trying to unseat her in the 3rd Congressional District, which she currently represents.
Without Buck, Republicans would have a five-seat majority, 218-213. With his impending resignation, several other Republicans in the 118th Congress are leaving the party, including McCarthy and ousted Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.).
Mr. McCarthy left Congress in December after being ousted from the speakership in a motion to vacate in October. Mr. McCarthy’s resignation followed Mr. Santos’ ouster in the wake of a damning November ethics report on his campaign and 23 federal indictments in October. And former Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) resigned from Congress in January. It remains vacant.
Mr. Santos’ withdrawal marks the first time a lawmaker has been removed based solely on criminal charges rather than conviction, and Democrats could take Mr. Santos’ seat in a special election in February, giving him the House seat of Tom Suozzi. Rep. (Democrat, New York) won. He previously held 212 seats.
