Five additional Republican representatives are considering resigning from the House of Representatives due to their ongoing dissatisfaction with the party’s presidential candidate, Donald Trump. Ken Buck is already among those who have expressed their intention to step down.
On Tuesday, Congressman Buck of Colorado abruptly resigned, leaving his seat vacant from next week and reducing the Republican’s narrow majority in the House to 218 to 213. Earlier, he had publicly stated his plan to retire from Congress at the conclusion of his current term.
During an interview with Axios, Buck was asked if he faced any pressure from his colleagues regarding his decision. In response, Buck subtly suggested that there might be more resignations to come, stating, “I think it’s the next three people that leave that they’re going to be worried about.”
Buck, however, did not provide further details on which members of Congress might be the next to depart. Nonetheless, there are a handful of Republicans who have openly expressed their disapproval of Trump and could possibly be the next ones to leave.
David Valadao, a Congressman from the 22nd district, has no intention of resigning and is actively seeking re-election, according to a spokesperson for the Congressman.
Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, supported Ron DeSantis, the former presidential candidate and Governor of Florida, in his unsuccessful attempt to secure the Republican nomination.
During a January interview with Fox News, he criticized Trump for using “bullying tactics” to obtain endorsements from Republicans who are afraid to defy him.
Chip Roy, a Texas politician, has voiced his criticism of Trump regarding the issues at the U.S.-Mexico border. During an interview with CNN in November, Roy expressed his concern that Trump had not succeeded in fully securing the border, particularly in light of the increasing number of migrant encounters.
The pair seems to have a strained relationship, as Trump has also expressed his disapproval of Roy on social media, labeling him a “RINO” (Republican in name only).
California Republican David Valadao, unlike many of his Republican colleagues, took a stand against former President Trump in 2021 by voting to impeach him. Valadao has made it clear that he will not be endorsing the former president in his reelection campaign.
Meanwhile, Greg Pence, a Republican from Indiana, and Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin, have both made the decision to retire from Congress at the conclusion of their terms. While Gallagher did not participate in the efforts to disrupt the outcome of the 2020 election, he did vote against impeaching Trump on two occasions. Similar to Buck, Pence and Gallagher might choose to resign earlier, thereby leaving the House Republicans.
