Bucshon denies and slams Newsweek report that he may resign

EVANSVILLE — Eighth District Rep. Larry Bucshon swatted down a Newsweek report suggesting he might resign from Congress because of dissatisfaction with former President Donald Trump.

Newsweek included Bucshon in a list of "five other House Republicans" who could resign in the wake of Colorado Rep. Ken Buck's unexpected announcement Tuesday that he would leave Congress. Buck, a Republican, had already announced he would not seek re-election this year. Bucshon also has said he will not seek an eighth two-year term.

More: Bucshon built a very specific profile in Congress. He says he won't seek re-election.

But that's a far cry from resigning and leaving Congress now.

Bucshon spokesman Zach Bannon said in an email to the Courier & Press that the Newsweek report is baseless speculation.

"Hoosiers in Southern and West Central Indiana renewed Dr. Bucshon’s contract for another two years in 2022, and he plans to fulfill that contract and serve out his current term in Congress," Bannon wrote. "Any assertion otherwise has no basis in fact other than Dr. Bucshon has decided to not run for reelection.

"This is nothing more than the political equivalent of 'CLUE.'"

Bucshon announced in January that he would not seek re-election to Congress serving Indiana's 21-county 8th District, which includes Vanderburgh, Warrick, Posey and Gibson counties.

It came as a surprise because Bucshon had said he intended to run for re-election again this year. No other Republicans and just one Democrat had made plans to seek his Southern and West Central Indiana seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. For election purposes the seat is open for the first time in 14 years.

Newsweek's report cited Bucshon's prediction in August that Trump would not be the GOP's presidential nominee in 2024. In an interview with the Courier & Press then, Bucshon cited the controversy that dogs Trump and the intense feelings the former president engenders from both supporters and opponents.

More: Trump won't be GOP's candidate next year, says Evansville congressman

Bucshon also accused Trump of using "dangerous rhetoric" after Congress voted to certify electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election. He followed that by noting that he had supported Trump for president and supported his policies, but "many of the President’s supporters took him literally, resulting in the attempted insurrection."

The veteran Republican congressman also took issue with what he called Trump's "harsh unfounded criticism of my friend Vice President Mike Pence."

More: With 13 candidates, Indiana's 8th District Congressional race is a free-for-all

Bucshon's decision not to run for re-election in the solidly Republican 8th District triggered a wildly unpredictable and packed race to succeed him in Congress. The major parties will choose nominees in the race in primary elections to be held May 7.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Bucshon denies and slams Newsweek report that he may resign