Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) will resign his seat to focus on his wife’s health, he said in a statement Wednesday.
There is no date set for the resignation to take effect, however, according to Stewart spokesman Liam Anderson.
The announcement from Stewart, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, comes as lawmakers are gathering votes for a bipartisan budget agreement bill to suspend the debt ceiling and limit federal spending ahead of next week’s default deadline. Anderson said Stewart will vote in favor of the bipartisan measure.
“I can say with pride that I have been an effective leader for my beloved home state, and I’m honored to have played an important role in guiding our nation through some troubled times,” Stewart said in a statement posted on social media. “But my wife’s health concerns have made it necessary that I retire from Congress after an orderly transition can be assured.’
It’s been one of the great honors of my life to represent Utah in the People’s House.
God bless you all, and God bless America. pic.twitter.com/rEeg6G2ry3
— Rep. Chris Stewart (@RepChrisStewart) May 31, 2023
The Salt Lake Tribune was the first to report on Stewart’s pending departure.
Stewart did not detail the medical issues his wife, Evie, is facing.
Stewart’s departure would reduce the GOP’s already-slim majority in the House — 222 seats to Democrats’ 213. Currently, if Democrats oppose a piece of legislation, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) can afford to lose only four votes from his caucus.
Stewart, a retired Air Force pilot, represents Utah’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes Salt Lake City. He and his wife have six children.
Per Utah law, Stewart’s resignation will spark a special election, whose winner will fill the remainder of his term. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) will announce the timeline for the race’s primary and general elections once Stewart officially announces his resignation.
Stewart, who serves on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, has won handily in the Republican-leaning district since he was first elected in 2012. In 2022, Stewart defeated Democrat Nick Mitchell by more than 25 points. All of Utah’s four House seats, as well as its two Senate seats, are held by Republicans.
Stewart spent 14 years as a pilot in the Air Force, flying rescue helicopters and the B-1B bomber, and he holds three world speed records, including the record for the fastest nonstop flight around the world. He also is an author who has written 17 books.
Recently, he has been a proponent of legislation that would limit minors’ access to social media, including a bill that would ban anyone under the age of 16 from using such apps.