(RepublicanDaily.org) – At least until the general election, Republicans in Congress will have to deal with a much narrower majority over liberals in the House after Republican Colorado Representative Ken Buck announced that he would be resigning from Congress.
Buck’s resignation would be effective in a matter of days, and the Colorado representative said that he would not be seeking another term.
In a statement announcing his resignation, Buck thanked his constituents in Colorado, and said that despite his resignation, he will still be “involved in our political process.”
“I look forward to… spending more time in Colorado with my family,” the 65-year-old legislator finished.
Buck served in Congress for nine years, with his last term characterized by several breaks from the Republican status quo, such as when he voted in favor of the removal of former Republican California representative Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership position, as well as his opposition to the GOP-led impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Once Buck leaves Congress, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, is mandated to hold a special election within 85 to 100 days to determine who will take Buck’s vacant seat. Governor Polis said that he plans to align the special election with the state’s primary election, which is set to happen on June 25.
The decision apparently came as a surprise to his fellow conservatives in Congress, who, under House Speaker and Republican Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, will have to make do with holding just 218 out of the 435 seats in the Lower House after Buck’s departure. This would put the GOP’s majority over the Democrats at just five seats, with the latter holding 213 positions. Three seats in the House are also vacant at the moment.
“I wish he could’ve waited,” Republican Nebraska Representative Don Bacon said of Buck’s resignation. “It’s gonna’ make it tough,” he added, referring to the smaller margin the GOP will have over the Democrats in Congress.
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