Embattled Colorado House Republican, State Representative Mike Lynch made an announcement on the House floor on Wednesday that he would be stepping down as minority leader, although he is NOT resigning from the House overall.
After narrowly surviving a no-confidence vote on Monday, with another vote around the corner for Thursday, his decision to step down comes a week after the Denver Post first reported his September 2022 arrest, which was unbeknownst to his GOP colleagues. The paper reported that Lynch was arrested at that time for drunken driving and a weapons charge, which he later pleaded guilty to, and is still on probation through June of this year. He was elected minority leader during the time that the charges were pending in Larimer County. The no-confidence vote from Monday had Lynch barely surviving with a 9-9 vote amongst his fellow GOP members, with Rep. Stephanie Luck absent from the vote, as she was excused from work on the House floor, due to the fact that she recently gave birth.
Now that Lynch is no longer the leader, the Thursday meeting will be utilized to elect his replacement.