Rep. Ken Buck's Surprising Support for the Impeachment Inquiry Raises Eyebrows
Rep. Ken Buck has broken with his previous stance and supported the ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
The House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to formalize the inquiry, granting additional powers to committees to investigate allegations of corruption against Joe Biden. The vote, largely along party lines, resulted in a 221-212 margin in favor of the inquiry, with Buck among the Republican representatives supporting it.
Buck, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has been an influential figure within the GOP but has recently found himself at odds with his party on various issues.
Buck engaged in a public feud with fellow Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over her controversial claims about the January 6 defendants.
Buck was one of the eight Republicans who voted to remove Kevin McCarthy from the speakership, citing broken promises made to the conservative wing of the party.
Buck refused to endorse Rep. Jim Jordan's bid for speaker due to Jordan's refusal to acknowledge Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
These actions have raised questions about Buck's loyalty to the party and his motivations moving forward, with rumors circulating that he may pursue a career as a cable news contributor.
Buck had previously expressed his opposition to the impeachment inquiry in a September op-ed for The Washington Post.
In the op-ed, he argued that the Republican Party was relying on an "imagined history" regarding Hunter Biden's involvement with the board of Burisma. Buck emphasized that despite investigations, there was no concrete evidence linking Joe Biden to his son's alleged corruption.
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Rep. Buck's decision not to seek re-election has opened opportunities for Republicans in Colorado's 4th Congressional District.
With the potential to secure a red seat in a conservative stronghold, a handful of candidates have already announced their candidacy, including State Rep. Richard Holtorf, Deborah Flora, Jerry Sonnenberg, Ted Harvey, Trent Leisy, and Justin Schreiber.
House Minority Leader Mike Lynch is also thought to be considering a run, adding to the excitement surrounding the upcoming election. Lynch, a Wellington Republican, a small business owner, Army veteran and West Point graduate is rumored to be announcing his well-funded campaign in early January.
With the primary only six months away, it’s possible, but not probable, that a couple more Republicans will declare their candidacies in the coming weeks.