A fresh blow to the GOP's already slim House majority came on Tuesday when Republican Representative Ken Buck revealed that he would be departing Congress at the end of next week. Belonging to the extreme right-wing House Freedom Caucus, Buck said in November that he would not run for reelection in Colorado's 4th District. However, his shocking declaration on Tuesday caught even House Speaker Mike Johnson off guard, according to the Washington Post. Buck has recently defied his party on a number of matters, including as attempts to remove Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and President Biden from office.
narrowed majority. There will be 4 vacancies in the House after Buck's resignation next week, leaving 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats. This means that Johnson can only afford to lose two GOP votes in party-line votes if every member is present, according to The Hill.
"It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I have been in Congress and having talked to former members, it is the worst year in 40, 50 years to be in Congress," he said to CNN. "This place has just devolved into this bickering and nonsense and not really doing the job for the American people."
Buck said that the process of selecting candidates is "broken" and that he often hears from individuals who are dissatisfied with either President Biden or Donald Trump. Buck has frequently questioned his party's treatment of Trump. "I am going to start working on that problem and locate the appropriate organization to join. Better candidates are required all the way down the ballot."
Election special.
According to the AP, a special election will be scheduled to replace Buck for the remainder of his term, however it is unclear whether it will take place before to the Republican primary on June 25. Among the contenders in the 4th District GOP primary is Representative Lauren Boebert, who now serves as the representative for Colorado's 3rd District.
narrowed majority. There will be 4 vacancies in the House after Buck's resignation next week, leaving 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats. This means that Johnson can only afford to lose two GOP votes in party-line votes if every member is present, according to The Hill.
"It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I have been in Congress and having talked to former members, it is the worst year in 40, 50 years to be in Congress," he said to CNN. "This place has just devolved into this bickering and nonsense and not really doing the job for the American people."
Buck said that the process of selecting candidates is "broken" and that he often hears from individuals who are dissatisfied with either President Biden or Donald Trump. Buck has frequently questioned his party's treatment of Trump. "I am going to start working on that problem and locate the appropriate organization to join. Better candidates are required all the way down the ballot."
Election special.
According to the AP, a special election will be scheduled to replace Buck for the remainder of his term, however it is unclear whether it will take place before to the Republican primary on June 25. Among the contenders in the 4th District GOP primary is Representative Lauren Boebert, who now serves as the representative for Colorado's 3rd District.
