(CNN) — Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Charlie Dent announced Tuesday he is resigning in the “coming weeks,” a decision that came after he first said he’d be retiring at the end of his term in Congress.
The moderate Republican tweeted the decision came after discussions with his family and “careful reflection.”
“I am especially proud of the work I have done to give voice to the sensible center in our country that is often overlooked or ignored,” he said in the statement. “It is my intention to aggressively advocate for responsible governance and pragmatic solutions in the coming years.”
In a statement Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, thanked Dent for his service.
“Charlie Dent is a voice of reason and civility that breaks through the chaos and partisanship of Washington and he will be missed,” he said.
The governor’s office also announced that there will be a special election to fill Dent’s seat, but no set date yet.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s February order creating new congressional districts in the commonwealth beginning next term included language that, if there were to be a special congressional election before the new term next January, it would be held under the 2011 congressional district map.
Already, 43 House Republicans have announced this cycle they are retiring, running for another office or resigning outright, including Dent and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Democrats, who need to pick up about two dozen seats to reclaim control of the House, are hoping that President Donald Trump’s unpopularity helps lead to a blue wave in this fall’s midterm elections.
At the time of his announcement last year that he would retire, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers said that the lawmaker’s “leadership in Congress will be sorely missed,” and added that he expects the seat to remain in Republican hands.
Dent’s office has not yet responded to CNN’s request for when exactly he would leave office.
Dent, who has served in Congress since 2005, previously told CNN Trump wasn’t the determining factor in his decision to retire at the end of his term.
This story has been updated with additional information.
