Despite his belief that the Republican Party is “dead” and its soul “has rotted,” U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) loves his job as Congressman.

“I am very happy where I am,” Buck told KNUS’ Dan Caplis yesterday. “And I am really feeling emboldened, in a lot of ways, about things – having a voice that can try to change the direction of policy in DC. And so I’m very thankful for that.”

And Buck apparently has no plans to drop his GOP affiliation, even though some candidates might not want to be associated with a dead party.

Buck told KNUS’ Peter Boyles today:

Buck: “There is still a Republican Party that is registered with the Secretary of State. You’ll still see it on the ballot. But in terms of a political party, who is fighting for the conservative beliefs that that you and I share – and that many others share – the Party is dead.”

But Buck has concluded that “the soul of the Republican Party has rotted, and the Party has died from within.”

Buck believes the Republican Party can rise from the dead, at least according to an op-ed he wrote in The Denver Post Monday.