Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) officially submitted his letter of resignation from the House of Representatives on Tuesday due to his wife’s health concerns.

“I write to inform you that I hereby irrevocably resign from the U.S. House of Representatives, effective at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on September 15th, 2023,” he wrote in the letter, addressed to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

“It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve the good people of Utah in Congress,” he added. “My family and I have been very blessed by this experience.”

Stewart, 62, announced his intention to retire from the House last week and return home to Utah to take care of his family.

“My wife’s health concerns have made it necessary that I retire from Congress after an orderly transition can be ensured,” he said.

Stewart did not disclose what kind of health issues his wife of 41 years, Evie Stewart, is battling. The two share six children together.

The congressman’s retirement would temporarily reduce the GOP’s already razor-thin majority in the House, which is currently composed of 222 Republicans and 213 Democrats. 

Gov. Cox will have a week from Stewart’s resignation to set the dates for a special primary and general election to replace the six-term lawmaker.

According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, Utah municipalities will likely have to push their elections back at least a few weeks from the second Tuesday in November as local politicians scramble to join the race for Stewart’s House seat.

By law, the primary special election must be held more than 90 days after the day on which the governor issues the proclamation announcing the election, and then the general special election has to be more than 90 days after the primary special election.

Stewart’s 2nd congressional district in Utah’s rural south and west regularly votes red and is not considered to be at risk of flipping.