Just days before Colorado Rep. Ken Buck was scheduled to retire from the House, the Freedom Caucus voted to oust him from the group, The Hill reported.
Buck, who announced in November that he would not seek reelection in 2024, decided to move up his departure from the House to Friday, March 22.
In a March 21 interview with CBS News, Buck said it was the Republican Party that changed while his positions have remained consistent.
He explained that he went to Congress “to represent conservatives” and said it was the Constitution, not the House Republican caucus, that directed his decisions.
Buck said he was not willing to lie to the people of Colorado or the country to remain in the GOP House.
Just three days before Buck resigned his seat, one Freedom Caucus member told The Hill that the group voted to oust Buck for not being a member in “good standing.” The anonymous source said Buck had not attended meetings regularly in months and had frequently broken with the Freedom Caucus on several issues. The member also said Buck’s decision to leave the House left the GOP conference “hanging with a historically narrow margin.”
Buck told CBS News that he had no plans to become a lobbyist or television commentator after leaving the House. Instead, he planned to continue championing conservative causes like limited government, lower spending, and lowering the federal debt.
The Colorado Republican, who was first elected to the House in 2014, was expected to face a primary challenge in 2024 but told CBS News that this did not figure into his decision to step down.
Buck also said he wouldn’t endorse anyone in the special election to replace him. However, he did offer some advice to whichever candidate wins the special election, saying the new representative should not let the money or prestige get in the way of doing “the very important job” Congress does for the American people.
