SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Representative Chris Stewart (R), Utah, is shaking things up with a surprise announcement he will resign from his seat in Congress.

He hasn’t announced a set date, but says he will retire “after an orderly transition can be ensured.”

“I appreciate the congressman, and the service he provided to the State of Utah. I wish him well, and family always comes first,” said Representative Angela Romero (D), Salt Lake City.

“He’s going to be hard to replace, and we are going to miss him sorely. Great person, he’s my favorite out of our Washington Delegation, and so, I’m sad about this,” added Representative Mike Schultz (R), Hooper.

The representatives join us this week on Inside Utah Politics to discuss the legacy of Representative Stewart and the debt ceiling compromise in our nation’s capital.

“There were concerns when it came to the worker requirements when we are talking about SNAP, and also removing that freeze when it comes to student loans. Americans right now are struggling with our economy. I’m glad this compromise happened, but I just think there are other things we could talk about like daycare, and a variety of other things,” said Romero.

“While I think it’s a good start, we can’t be done here. We’ve got to do more in the way of cuts, and you know, the economy is just okay. Really the biggest reason people are struggling is because of inflation. It’s not because they can’t find a job, it’s because of inflation, and what’s causing inflation is all the federal spending,” Schultz said.