WASHINGTON, D.C. — Colorado Congressman Ken Buck announced Tuesday he will leave the U.S. House of Representatives by the end of next week.
JUST IN: Colorado Congressman Ken Buck announces he's stepping down at the end of next week. Buck announced he would not seek re-election this year. But his decision to step down early narrows the already tight Republican majority even more. #copolitics https://t.co/rse2yBHcdm
— Brandon Richard (@BrandonLRichard) March 12, 2024
The fifth-term Republican, who represents Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, made his surprise announcement in the midst of the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents. His resignation is effective March 22.
"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 and with my family," Buck said in a news release Tuesday.
Rep. Buck announced in November of 2023 that he would not seek reelection this November, citing his party’s repeated lies about the 2020 election that have now set the nation “on a collision course with reality.”
Politics
Rep. Ken Buck won’t seek reelection, citing Republican's election denialism
Buck revealed he was the target of multiple death threats in October for voting against Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan as House Speaker.His departure will narrow the Republican majority in Congress.
Now federal law requires his seat be filled by a special vacancy election, according to the Colorado Secretary of State.
Colorado law specifies that "when any vacancy occurs in the office of representative in congress from this state, the governor shall set a day to hold a congressional vacancy election to fill the vacancy and cause notice of the election to be given," Colorado's Revised Statute reads.
Gov. Jared Polis has set the date for that special election for Tuesday, June 25, the same day as the Democratic and Republican primaries for seats in the U.S. Congress, the state House of Representatives, state Senate and other city/countywide offices, and then the general election Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Both parties will now identify candidates to serve the reminder of Buck's expired term. Unaffiliated candidates may petition to get onto the special election ballot.
In a statement, Gov. Polis thanked Buck for his years of public service:
“From his time as Weld County District Attorney to his time in Congress, he has shown his deep commitment to improve public safety and to serve our nation. I wish him all the best in this next chapter. To ensure that Colorado has the representation we deserve in Congress, and to minimize taxpayer cost, I plan to take swift action to set the date of the special election to fill the vacancy created by Ken Buck’s resignation to align with Colorado’s primary on June 25th,” Polis said in a statement.
During an appearance on CNN, Buck called Congress “dysfunctional” and noted that he hadn't gotten to ask a question yet despite being the third-ranking Republican on the committee.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
