Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck announced Wednesday he would not seek re-election next year, citing significant woes with his party related to the 2020 presidential election and the January 6 U.S. Capitol breach.
“Too many Republican leaders are lying to America claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing January 6 as an unguided tour of the Capitol and asserting that the ensuing prosecutions are a weaponization of our justice system,” Buck said in a video statement. “These insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode Americans’ confidence in the rule of law.”
Earlier today I announced that I won't be seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
To my friends in Colorado, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve our nation. Being your representative in Washington DC has been the highest honor of my life. pic.twitter.com/FQdPVbpH46
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) November 1, 2023
Buck, 64, is currently serving his fifth term for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.
He was first elected to Congress in 2015 and has served on a number of committees, including the House Judiciary and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Buck also serves on the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, and the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
He announced his decision to leave the lower chamber of Congress after facing backlash from GOP lawmakers and their constituents who support former President Donald Trump.
The Colorado lawmaker has been taking heat since certifying Joe Biden as the victor of the 2020 presidential election. Although he serves as a member of the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus, Buck has opposed members of the conference who said they would support Trump if he is convicted in his federal indictments or launch an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
In a September op-ed for The Washington Post, Buck said the inquiry relied “on an imagined history” and that the “serious matter … should have a foundation of rock-solid facts.”
Buck also played a key role in ousting former Speaker of the House Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), marking his name as one of the eight Republicans who voted with Democrats to take the gavel away from McCarthy.
Buck also opposed Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan in his bid for speaker, which reportedly led to him receiving death threats and an eviction notice from his Colorado office landlord, who was upset over Buck’s vote against Jordan.
His fifth term officially ends on January 3, 2025.
During an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday, Buck signaled that other GOP lawmakers would also announce their retirement from office, including Texas Republican Rep. Kay Granger, who also announced she would not seek reelection next year.
“I am joining Kay and probably some others in the near future, but I’ve decided that it is time for me to do some other things. I always have been disappointed with our inability in Congress to deal with major issues,” Buck said.
Granger, 80, reportedly said in her statement Wednesday that she wants to vacate her seat to allow the younger generation to become leaders in Washington, D.C.
“As I announce my decision to not seek re-election, I am encouraged by the next generation of leaders in my district,” she said. “It’s time for the next generation to step up and take the mantle and be a strong and fierce representative for the people.”
“Although I am not running for re-election, I plan to serve out the remainder of my term and work with our new Speaker and my colleagues to advance our conservative agenda and finish the job I was elected to do,” Granger added.