Colorado Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck, who upset establishment favorite Jane Norton in last week’s primary, last year expressed support for repealing the 17th Amendment, which allows for the direct election of Senators by popular vote.
But don’t worry, Buck now says. He’s thought it through, and is now firmly opposed to repealing the 17th Amendment.
Video recently unearthed by The Huffington Post shows Buck responding to a question at a campaign event last year by saying that the 17th Amendment “has taken us down the wrong path.”
I don’t know that we get [repeal] tomorrow, but I think we get there in the very near future when people understand just what a horrendous effect the 17th Amendment has been on the federal government’s spending.
Friday, Buck clarified his past statement to The Huffington Post: “It is not a position I still hold and it wasn’t a position I held a day later when I called back the guy who asked the question and talked to him about the issue and reflected more on it.”
“It doesn’t make sense to repeal the 17th Amendment and I have said it a dozen of times,” he added.
Watch the video:
This isn’t the first time that Buck has had to explain comments caught on tape.
The TPM Poll Average shows Buck leading Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet 45.7-42.8.
The Buck campaign did not immediately return TPM’s request for comment this morning.
Eric Lach
Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website’s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl(at)talkingpoitnsmemo.com
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