Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican from Colorado, announced that he will be leaving Congress this month, which creates difficulties for Rep. Lauren Boebert's plan to take over his position.
Buck revealed in November that he would not run for reelection in Colorado's 4th congressional district, located in the eastern part of the state.
However, he accelerated his departure on Tuesday, triggering a special election to fill the rest of his term. Governor Jared Polis (D) is expected to schedule the special election for June 25, the same day as the state's primary.
This development complicates Boebert's chances of winning Buck's seat.
Boebert currently represents Colorado's 3rd congressional district, situated at the opposite end of the state from Buck's district.
Last year, Boebert announced she was running for Buck's seat after a narrow reelection victory in her district. This move spared her from facing another tough House race against Democrat Adam Frisch, who is now running for the 3rd district.
Both parties will select candidates for the special election on June 25 to fill Buck's vacated spot. The winner of this contest may have an advantage in the subsequent election in November to serve a full two-year term representing the fourth district.
This situation has put Boebert in a difficult position.
She faces the choice of resigning from her House seat early to pursue the GOP nomination in the special election for Buck's seat, which could improve her chances in the November election.
However, this move could further reduce the House GOP's narrow majority and potentially lead to a Democratic win in her seat.
Alternatively, Boebert could stay in her House seat and focus solely on running for the full two-year term in the 4th congressional district.
Buck's seat strongly favored Trump, making the June election a favorable prospect for the winning Republican candidate.
Boebert has not yet indicated her decision, but she did announce a live digital fundraiser on X, formerly known as Twitter, indicating the high stakes involved.
Rep. Ken Buck's (R-Colo.) announcement that he's leaving Congress later this month is complicating Rep. Lauren Boebert's (R-Colo.) path toward winning his seat. Buck announced in November he would not be seeking reelection in Colorado's 4th congressional district, which captures the eastern portion of the state. But he sped up his retirement on…
