“Good News for the Country!”: Trump Celebrates Retirement of Republican Who Debunked His “Stolen Election” Claims

Michelle HollandNov 4, 2023

Minute Read

Trump has gloated over the news that Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican in the House of Representatives, will not run for reelection to Congress. “Good news for the country!” Trump wrote on social media in reaction to the news.

Bad Blood Between Buck and Trump

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Buck criticized Trump previously for questioning the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s election win in 2020. He announced his retirement with a statement in which he shared he was “disappointed that the Republican Party continues to rely on this lie that the 2020 election was stolen and rely on the January 6 narrative and political prisoners from January 6 and other things.”

Trump’s Lasting Impact

Following Biden’s win, many people expected the GOP to move away from Trump, especially after January 6 and his attempts to overturn the election. Instead, Trump is now the clear frontrunner to be the Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election — his control over the party, and much of the public, remains.

Why Buck’s Departure Benefits Trump

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Naturally, Trump only stands to benefit from his strongest critics removing themselves from Congress. Buck’s exit makes space for a far more pro-Trump Republican can potentially fill and sets a precedent for other Trump critics to follow in his footsteps.

Trump’s Social Media Posts

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Trump logged on to his Truth Social platform to savage Buck as “a weak and ineffective Super RINO if there ever was one,” the acronym meaning “Republican in name only.” He added that Buck “knew long ago he could never win against MAGA, so now he is… auditioning for a job at Fake News CNN, MSDNC, or some other country-destroying leftwing outlet.” MSDNC is Trump’s nickname for MSNBC, a reference to the Democratic National Committee.

Buck’s True Feelings

Buck previously described it as “difficult” to be a Republican when “the news is constantly about Donald Trump and these indictments and his actions during a time of the election and until and after 6 January 2021. And so I think that it is difficult to break through that noise right now and try to get a positive message.”

Opposing Trump Supporters

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Last month, Buck also opposed prominent Trump supporter Jim Jordan’s candidacy for the role of House speaker. He declared that “too many Republican leaders are lying to America, claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, describing January 6 as an unguided tour of the Capitol and asserting that the ensuing prosecutions are a weaponization of our justice system.”

“Insidious Narratives”

“These insidious narratives breed widespread cynicism and erode Americans’ confidence in the rule of law,” Buck continued. He insisted he would stay in the Republican Party but would not support Trump for president, and would struggle to decide in the instance of a “Trump-Biden redo.”

Trump’s Rants Have Been Normalized

Many on the internet wondered why Trump’s comments on Buck’s resignation were not generating a bigger outcry. “He’s just so insane, I don’t know why people aren’t calling him out for this,” one person posted. “If a guy was screaming these messages on a street corner they would be avoided or arrested.”

Trump’s RINO Hypocrisy

One commenter observed that Trump is “not a long-time Republican,” and that he “doesn’t mind breaking a major rule of a political party… you don’t criticize others in the party you claim to belong to (unless directly running against them). You can strongly disagree with them about a vote they took, but otherwise, you are supposed to show solidarity.”

Destroying the Party

“Do Republicans realize that this guy is singlehandedly destroying their party piece by piece? Normal America is not OK with this nonsense,” one person inquired, adding that “they will continue to lose and they have been well warned.”

Misplaced Trust

Others felt that GOP members mistakenly believe that Trump is “holding it together,” and speculated that the collapse of the Republican Party is on the cards.

Poor Tactical Decision

One person argued that Trump’s vilification of Buck will not advantage him in the long run: “There’s no good tactical reason for Trump to smear other Republicans to divide the party. There are people who really like Ken Buck who also voted for Trump who will be less likely to vote for Trump again if they bother to vote at all.”

Buck’s Inconsistent Logic

Several forum users highlighted the fact that Buck voted for Mike Johnson, an ardent Trump backer and perpetrator of the stolen election lie, to be the new House speaker. Johnson was elected to the position on October 25, 2023.

The Consequences of Buck’s Resignation

Others noted that Buck’s resignation may result in the opposite of what he claims to want. “He may personally be against “election denialism” but there is a very solid chance his replacement will be an election denier,” one person wrote. “By bowing out instead of fighting he’s empowering the fanatical rightwing that he claims to dislike.”

Will Buck Start a Trend?

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Responding to Buck’s hints that other Republicans might soon be leaving Congress, one commenter replied “We don’t need a House becoming more unhinged with the crazy that will replace them.”

Shifting the GOP Further Right

Some observed how the departures of members such as Buck will only shift the party further to the right. “The extreme right is successfully forcing out the moderates in the GOP,” one person said. “That’s not a good thing.” Someone else chipped in, “This guy ain’t even a moderate,” and another described the situation as “extreme right forcing out slightly less extreme right.”

A Cowardly Choice

People generally agreed that Buck’s resignation was a spineless move lacking in any strong conviction. “So the coward helped usher in a reign of terror and walks away,” one user chided.