Ken Buck Stuns GOP with Early Resignation

The GOP just got caught by surprise by one of its own.

Rep. Ken Buck, who had already announced that he was not running for re-election, just announced that he will be stepping down.

His retirement will be effective March 22.

Time to Go

There is no love lost between Donald Trump and Buck, which undoubtedly influenced his decision to step down.

In fact, when Buck announced last year that he would not be running for re-election, Trump celebrated him leaving Congress.

At the time, Trump posted on Truth Social, "Good news for the Country! Congressman Ken Buck of Colorado, a weak and ineffective Super RINO if there ever was one, announced today that he won't be running again, which is a great thing for the Republican Party."

However, Buck has now decided to leave early, with his last day being the deadline day to pass legislation to prevent a government shutdown.

Buck, when announcing his retirement, stated, "Too many Republican leaders are lying to America, claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing Jan. 6 as an unguided tour of the Capitol and asserting that the ensuing prosecutions are a weaponization of our justice system.

"These insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode Americans' confidence in the rule of law."

In announcing that he was leaving office early, he stated, "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's early exit really leaves the GOP hanging, as it will only have two votes to spare for any legislation on the floor until April, when a special election is being held to replace a Democrat congressman, and that seat is expected to remain blue.

At that point, they will only have a margin of one vote until the special election for McCarthy's seat takes place in May.

It just does not seem to get any easier for Speaker Johnson (R-LA), as he now needs to ensure that any piece of legislation he floors has the complete support of the GOP in order for it to pass.