Ex-Colorado Mayor Chosen by GOP Committee as Ken Buck's Successor

A committee of Colorado Republicans nominated Greg Lopez Thursday to fill the vacant seat of Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., multiple outlets reported, a surprise move for a role that was expected to be filled by one of the nearly dozen Republicans vying for the seat.

Lopez served as mayor for two terms in Parker, Colo., during the 1990s, according to the Colorado Sun, and previously lost gubernatorial bids in 2018 and 2022.

The former mayor also has a history of encounters with law enforcement, the Colorado Sun reported, including a 1993 domestic violence incident with his wife, Lisa—the couple reportedly pleaded guilty to a harassment charge in 1994—and Lopez was also accused of driving under the influence, according to the Denver Post.

Eleven Republicans are on the ballot for the Congressional district—three of which currently serve as representatives for other districts: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Colo., and Rep. Michael Lynch, R-Colo., who stepped down from his role as House minority leader in January after a 2022 D.U.I. record was revealed.

The other GOP candidates are: Mariel Bailey, who served in various Congressional support roles throughout the Trump administration, founder of non-profit Parents United America and radio host Deborah Flora, local councilman and business owner Trent Leisy, Chris Phelen, a former chief of staff to Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., veteran and activist Justin Schreiber, former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, veteran Floyd Trujillo, and former House and Senate candidate Peter Yu.

The committee’s pick will be running in two bids for the same seat until June’s election, according to the Associated Press.

Boebert, who represents the state’s third district, indicated she will not run in the special election to replace Buck while lashing out at the process in a post on X because she wants to serve out the remainder of her term—a decision that could potentially confuse voters.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ordered the special election to replace Buck’s seat to be held on June 25, the same day as the state’s primary election.


5. That’s how many members of Congress, including Buck, have announced their resignation since last November. They include former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., and Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc.—who announced his resignation last week.

Five Democratic candidates are also running in the district’s primary. They are: attorney Karen Breslin, Trisha Calvarese, who served as Sen. Bernie Sander’s, I-Vt., first press intern, veteran Ike McCorkle, activist John Padora and Anil Saexna, who serves as global head of partner enablement strategy at ServiceNow. Little is known about Douglas Mangeris, a resident of state municipality Loveland running as a libertarian candidate, according to Colorado Public Radio. Mangeris does not have a website for his campaign and does not appear to have any social media.

Buck, who has served as a representative for Colorado’s Congressional District 4 for almost a decade, announced his resignation on March 12, after announcing he wouldn’t seek re-election last November. The Colorado Republican has been an extremely vocal critic of his party, namely of his colleague’s support of former President Donald Trump’s election interference claims. His resignation shrank the GOP’s lead in the House to 218-213, which has been further narrowed to 217-213 since Gallagher announced his resignation on March 22.