Utah Republican Rep. Chris Stewart announced he will resign from Congress due to his wife’s illness on Wednesday, leaving Republicans with an even slimmer majority in the House. 

The seat will now go to a special election in the reliably Republican district. 

The six-term Mormon congressman did not say when he planned to leave office but said it would be ‘after an orderly transition can be ensured.’

Under Utah law, Gov. Spencer Cox has seven days to lay out a schedule to replace Stewart with a special election.

‘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. 

He did not specify what is wrong with his wife’s health. Stewart and his wife Evie have six children together.

Republicans currently hold 222 seats in the House compared to Democrats’ 213 – meaning McCarthy can already only afford to lose four votes to push through party-line legislation.

But the GOP absence would only be temporary as Stewart beat his Democrat challenger by 26 points last election. 

The 62-year-old has been in Congress since 2013 and serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Intelligence Committee.

Utah law requires Gov. Spencer Cox to call a special election for the Salt Lake City seat within seven days. 

Stewart was named as a potential for director of National Intelligence under the Trump administration and as recently as last year was rumored to be mulling over potential challenges to moderates Sen. Mitt Romney and Cox. 

Stewart, an Air Force veteran and author has written 14 books – including co-writing Elizabeth Smart’s memoir about her kidnapping.