GOP’s slim majority in the House grows even smaller after Chris Stewart retirement

Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) effectively resigned from the House on Friday, altering the current makeup of the lower chamber and decreasing Republicans’ already-slim majority to just three seats — giving GOP leaders little room for error as they navigate a battle over government spending.

With Stewart’s absence, there are now 433 members in the House, with 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats. There are two vacancies in the lower chamber left by Stewart as well as former Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), who resigned earlier this year.

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“As I sat on the airplane last night, flying home from DC for the last time as a Member of Congress, I started to think about this amazing experience, the incredible people I have meet, and the things I have learned,” Stewart wrote in an online statement. “All of these things have made me a better person. But the one thing I learned that matters above all is the goodness of the American people. The goodness of the people in Utah. It has reaffirmed my faith in humanity, and God, and our future.”

“We are in a critical fight for our nation and our freedom,” he added. “And this fight grows intense. But because of good people, I have faith in our future.”

Stewart announced he would be retiring from his House seat in late May, citing his wife’s health as the reason for his early departure from the seat he’s held for 10 years. News of his departure attracted a crowded field of GOP candidates seeking to replace him, with attorney Celeste Maloy winning the party’s nomination earlier this month.

If she wins, it will mark the first time since 1997 that a female candidate was elected to represent the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses much of the western portion of the state, stretching from the outskirts of the Salt Lake City area down to St. George in the south.

Maloy is expected to win in the general election in November, as the seat is considered to be safely Republican. She’ll face Democratic candidate Kathleen Riebe in the general special election on Nov. 21.

In the meantime, GOP leaders must grapple with their slimmer majority at a crucial time for Congress as they seek to pass a government spending bill and avert a shutdown later this month. Congress has until Sept. 30 to pass some form of spending legislation, but those efforts have been complicated by intraparty tensions and disagreements in the House, effectively stalling negotiations.

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If Congress can’t pass all 12 of its bills before the end of the month, lawmakers will typically agree to a continuing resolution that allows the government to operate at the same spending levels until a new agreement is made — something conservatives have also vehemently opposed.

Still, Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters he hopes to push a short-term continuing resolution through the House as early as next week to keep the government funded, noting he would keep the House in session until a spending agreement is passed.