On Tuesday night, the House Freedom Caucus voted to expel Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) from their ranks, according to three members of the conservative group. This decision was made shortly before Buck’s planned retirement from Congress. A caucus member, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that Buck was ousted due to his lack of active participation and failure to align with the group on key conservative issues for months.
Additionally, Buck’s removal was attributed to his departure from the party’s stance on several important matters, leaving the party vulnerable due to a slim majority in the House. Buck was notified of the caucus’s decision on the same night.
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Buck’s office has chosen not to comment on the matter. Similarly, a spokesperson for the Freedom Caucus stated that the group does not discuss details regarding its membership or internal operations. The news of Buck’s removal was first reported by The Hill just three days before his scheduled departure from Congress. Last year, Buck announced his retirement plans, initially set for the year’s end, but last week he moved up his departure date to the end of this week.
This move further weakens the Republican majority in the House, which can now only lose two votes on party-line decisions if all members are present. This reduction affects the Republicans’ ability to push through party-driven legislation.
Buck’s nearly ten-year stint in Congress has been notable, especially in the past year, for his critique of GOP strategies on election issues and his occasional divergence from party lines. Notably, Buck was among the eight Republicans who voted against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and one of the three who opposed impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, thwarting that effort and causing a significant setback for the party.
Reflecting on his time in Congress, Buck expressed disappointment, stating in an interview that his final year was the most challenging and that the institution was deteriorating. He shared these sentiments shortly after announcing his accelerated retirement.
“It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I’ve been in Congress. And having talked to former members, it’s the worst year in 40, 50 years to be in Congress. But I’m leaving because I think there’s a job to do out there that I want to go do,” he added.
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Buck is not the first member to be ousted from the Freedom Caucus this Congress. Last summer, the group voted to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) from the group after she grew close with GOP leadership.