Republican Lawmaker Announces Retirement, Citing Congress’ ‘Inability’ to Deal With Major Issues

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole Aug. 6, 2022. Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) announced on Nov. 1 that he will not seek reelection for a sixth term in 2024, citing concerns not only about Democrats but the Republican party as well as he urged Americans to continue in their “advocacy for the long-term reforms that we need to implement.”

In a video statement, he thanked his constituents, saying he is “grateful” for their support as they “fought against the left policies that have had real-world consequences.”

The lawmaker named key issues he has sought to stand against, including defunding the police, the politicizing of student loans, provoking inflation with excessive spending, creating open borders, and the decimation of domestic energy production.

“I made the decision to leave Congress because tough votes are being replaced by social media status,” said Mr. Buck.

“It’s time to stop feeding popular narratives and start addressing the long-term solutions.”

Mr. Buck has represented Colorado’s 4th Congressional District since his election in 2014. In addition to numerous caucuses, he serves on the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust, and the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. Also, on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittees on the Indo-Pacific and the Western Hemisphere, according to his congressional website,

The Colorado Republican worked for then-Rep. Dick Cheney (R-Wyo.) on the Iran-Contra Investigation and then became a prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice before joining the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s office. In 2004, he was elected for the first of three times as the Weld County District Attorney.

In his resignation video, Mr. Buck said, “Americans are rightfully concerned about our nation’s future and are looking to Republicans in Washington for a course correction,” going on to assert that the country is “on a collision course with reality.”

Mr. Buck then pointed the finger at members of his own party, saying, “Too many Republican leaders are lying to America. Claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing January 6 as an unguided tour of the Capitol, and asserting that the ensuing prosecutions are weaponization of our justice system. These insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode Americans confidence in the rule of law.”

The congressman also told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell in a Nov. 1 interview while announcing his decision not to seek reelection that one of the primary reasons was his frustration over the legislative body’s ability to get their jobs done.

“I always have been disappointed with our inability in Congress to deal with major issues,” Mr. Buck said. During his video announcement, he said he believes Republicans have suffered a “significant departure from the enduring principles of conservatives.”

“We belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan ... The Republican Party of today, however, is ignoring self-evident truths about the rule of law.”

The Coloradan said he believes the exceptionalism of the nation he has served for more than three decades lies in “answers developed from the governed, not the government.”

Over the past few years, Mr. Buck has been vocal in his criticism of Democrats, saying that the party engages in extremist strategies in order to polarize Americans. In addition, he has criticized the implementation of Critical Race Theory in the military and has expressed concern about the fentanyl epidemic in the United States.

Mr. Buck ended his comments, saying, “To my friends in Colorado, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve our nation and to serve you.

“I look forward to seeing you at the grocery store and the high school football game. Being your representative in Washington, DC, has been the greatest professional thrill and highest honor of my life.”