Republican Colorado Rep. Ken Buck announced on Tuesday that he will be leaving Congress sooner than previously expected.
After serving the people of Colorado’s 4th District for nine years, Buck expressed his frustration with the current state of Congress and his desire to spend more time with his family in his state of Colorado.
Buck announced his departure on X Tuesday.
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“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,” Buck wrote. “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’s decision comes after he previously stated that he would not seek reelection. However, at that time, he indicated his intention to serve out his remaining term.
The timing of his departure, just before a two-week recess, aims to minimize the disruption caused by a vacancy election. A vacancy election is required by federal law to fill Buck’s seat, with candidates selected by the vacancy committees from each political party.
Ken Buck’s political career began in 2014 when he was elected to the House of Representatives. Prior to this, he narrowly lost the 2010 Senate race to Michael Bennet. Buck aligned himself with the Tea Party movement and later joined the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Throughout his tenure, he advocated for fiscal conservatism and expressed concerns about the country’s rising debt.
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However, Buck’s political positions sometimes diverged from his party. He voted to certify the 2020 presidential election, asserting that Congress has a limited role in approving the vote.
He also voted to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and opposed House Republicans’ efforts to impeach President Joe Biden, citing a lack of evidence. Buck’s legislative accomplishments include the No TikTok on Government Devices Act and the inclusion of Camp Amache in the National Park System.
Buck’s commitment to bipartisanship is evident in his collaborations across the aisle. For instance, he worked on antitrust legislation targeting Big Tech, which cleared the House during the previous Congress. He also participated in a bipartisan effort to regulate lawmakers’ stock trading activities.
Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse praised Buck’s work on various issues, highlighting their partnership on antitrust efforts and the Amache legislation.
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