DENVER (KDVR) — Rep. Mike Lynch formally announced on Wednesday that he will be stepping down from being the minority leader of the Colorado House.
In a statement from the Colorado House Republicans, Lynch said he made the decision with a heavy heart but believes the caucus will be stronger when they stand together.
This decision comes after members of the Republican caucus asked on Tuesday to hold a second no-confidence vote over Lynch after he failed to disclose a DUI arrest and subsequent probation sentence.
Lynch has received several calls to resign from his position, and narrowly survived his first no-confidence vote on Monday.
The votes come after it was revealed that Lynch was arrested in 2022 on suspicion of drunken driving and possession of a gun while intoxicated.
“I just made a mistake, and you don’t learn from success, you learn from failure,” Lynch said in an interview with The Associated Press on Jan. 17. “I’m a non-drinker today and plan on staying that way. I own it, and thank God nobody got hurt.”
Several members of the caucus have voted to remove Lynch, citing concerns about ethics and a lack of transparency over his failure to disclose his probation status.
Ultimately, Lynch made the decision to step down.
“As I step aside from the role of Minority Leader, I do so with optimism and a deep sense of gratitude for the trust and support you have shown me throughout my tenure. I have full confidence in the abilities and commitment of our caucus members to carry on the important work we have started,” Lynch said in a statement.
Lynch will continue to serve as a state representative serving Larimer and Weld County, but will no longer be the minority leader.
Lynch was running for a congressional seat in the same district as Lauren Boebert. It is unclear at this time if he will continue that campaign, but as of Wednesday his campaign site is still up.
