CPR News –
According to an email announcement from Tuesday, Republican Ken Buck is leaving office early, as in the end of next week. Buck expressed his frustration about Congress in talking with reporters saying, “This place just keeps going downhill. And I don’t need to spend my time here.”
Buck has served in Colorado’s 4th District for 9 years, and will depart at the end of next week, as he would like to spend more time with his family, while looking forward to staying involved in the political process. Last November, Buck said he would not seek reelection but at the time he indicated he planned to serve out his remaining term. In his email, Buck said his last day in Congress will be March 22. The House is set to go on a two week recess the next day.
Federal law requires a vacancy election to fill Buck’s seat, with candidates picked by the vacancy committees from each political party. The power to schedule a vacancy election rests with the governor. On Tuesday, Gov. Jared Polis said he's scheduling the vacancy election for June 25, to coincide with the state primary. That means voters in Congressional District Four will get ballots for two congressional contests in June: a vacancy election to fill Buck's seat through the rest of the year, and a primary race for someone to replace him in the next congress.
A large number of Republicans are vying to replace Buck, including current 3rd congressional district Rep. Lauren Boebert, Logan County Commissioner Jerry Sonnenberg, former radio host Deborah Flora and state Reps. Richard Holtorf and Mike Lynch. Winning the vacancy election could give a candidate a leg-up in November’s general election, where they would be the incumbent. In the meantime, Buck’s departure threatens to whittle the GOP’s House majority down even further. The count currently stands at 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats, with three vacant seats.