Rep. Ken Buck Pushes Back Against – Everyone!
Ken Buck, one of the 20 Republicans who did not support Rep. Jim Jordan in his bid for Speaker of the House, is speaking out about the future of the GOP conference after the failed vote.
Buck, a Republican from Colorado, has been a vocal critic of Jordan's bid for the top job and voted in the first-floor vote against him on Tuesday.
Speaking to CNN’s Dana Bash after the first vote, Buck said everyone’s going to have to chill out a bit before he tries to figure out what’s next:
Buck: “Yeah, well, right now, folks are going to go into conference. There’s going to be a lot of yelling and screaming. I will go into conference after their nerves settle down a little bit. And I think we get — we come up with either the 30-day plan or Jim wants to go back to the floor for a second vote. If we get a second vote, Jim is going to lose some votes that he got on the first vote and he’s going to gain some votes. But I anticipate that the vote [against him] will still be in that 15 to 25 range.” (CNN)
In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, Buck discussed the ongoing divide within the House Republican caucus and expressed concerns about Jordan's stance on issues such as military funding for Ukraine and the 2020 election results.
"I haven't gotten a commitment that it will come to the floor" if Jordan becomes Speaker, Buck said. He also reiterated his concerns about Jordan's involvement in the Trump campaign's efforts to overturn the election results and his refusal to cooperate with the January 6th Committee.
Despite calls for unity within the party, Buck believes another round of voting for Speaker is not the answer. "Having another vote when you lose by 20 and you've got people who said they're only going to vote for you on the first ballot and not vote for you on the second ballot is just not a way to bring the conference together," he said.
Colorado’s other two Republicans, Reps. Lauren Boebert and Doug Lamborn both voted for Jordan, while all of Colorado’s Democratic House members voted for their leader, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, for the top job. After the vote, Buck said there were a few reasons he did not back Jordan, including the future of military funding for Ukraine.
Buck also voted against Jordan in the closed-door nomination meeting on Friday, opting instead for a last-minute bid from Georgia Rep. Austin Scott. He expressed "big concerns" about Jordan for Speaker and believes his potential ascension to the top job would solidify the hard-right faction's power within the party.
Jordan, a 9-term Ohio lawmaker, has faced criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans for his support of former President Donald Trump and his role in the January 6th insurrection. Former Republican House Speaker John Boehner has even dubbed him a "legislative terrorist" for his obstructionist tactics.
But Jordan's supporters are urging his critics to get behind him, especially after the recent Hamas attack on Israel. Buck, however, remains unconvinced and does not plan on voting for Jordan in future rounds.
Following the failed vote, Democrats have expressed concerns about the future of bipartisanship and the ability to work with Jordan as Speaker. Rep. Joe Neguse, who has served with Jordan on the Judiciary Committee, called him an extremist who has "undermined precedents" of the House.
Monday, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) says he’s still opposed to voting for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for speaker, but that he plans to speak further with the congressman about some of his concerns ahead of Tuesday’s floor vote in the House.
Despite the ongoing division within the GOP conference, Buck says he firmly believes there are other potential candidates for Speaker who could bring the party together. "We'll just have to see if we can develop a consensus in conference," he said.
Republican state Rep. Richard Holtorf of Akron says he is considering a primary challenge to Buck’s 4th Congressional District next year. Holtorf has created an exploratory committee and plans to decide by early December.
“Because of the positions he takes, there are a lot of people in the district that are frustrated and upset with him and they’ve come to me to ask if I can primary him so they can get that kind of representation in Congress,” Rep. Richard Holtorf told CPR News.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Co) Joins CNN’s Laura Coates to discuss the speaker’s vote. “Having another vote when you lose by 20 and you’ve got people who said they’re only going to vote for you on the first ballot and not vote for you on the second ballot is just not a way to bring the conference together,” said Buck. (CNN)
The failed vote for Speaker foreshadows a potential impasse like what the House experienced in January, when it took 15 rounds of voting to appoint former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. It also highlights the current disunity within the House GOP, which has been on full display in the past two weeks.
But for Democrats, the issue lies with the policies and ideology of Jordan, McCarthy, and Rep. Steve Scalise, who was initially the party's top pick for Speaker.
"Different waiter, same menu," said Rep. Jim McGovern, ranking member of the Rules Committee. According to him, the final selection of Speaker will speak volumes about the GOP's priorities and politics.