The Hill reports that U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) has officially resigned from Congress. 

This comes just a few days before Butterfield's term in the U.S. House of Representatives was scheduled to come to an end.

His term would have officially ended on Tuesday with the swearing-in of the new Congress.

But, Butterfield has decided to call it quits a few days early. And, it appears that this has something to do with his new job.

What's going on?

It has been known for over a year now that Butterfield would be retiring rather than seeking another term in Congress. Butterfield, who has represented  North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District in the House for the past 18 years, announced his retirement in Nov. 2021.

"It is time for me to retire and allow the torch to be passed to someone who shares the values of the district, and continue the work I have labored so hard for the past 18 years," Butterfield said at the time.

Butterfield made it clear that redistricting had a lot to do with his decision not to seek reelection in the 2022 midterms. This redistricting transformed his district from a Democrat stronghold to a competitive race, and it appears that Butterfield was not interested in the challenge.

Butterfield said:

The map that was recently enacted by the legislature is a partisan map. It’s racially gerrymandered. It will disadvantage African American communities all across the 1st congressional district. I am disappointed, terribly disappointed with the Republican majority legislature for again gerrymandering our state’s congressional districts and putting their party politics over the best interests of North Carolinians.

Democrat Don David would go on to win Butterfield's seat in the 2022 midterms.

"I'm taking a new job"

Butterfield announced his early resignation from Congress in a statement on Friday.

“I’m taking a new job tomorrow,” Butterfield said. “It’s another phase of my professional life, so I’m looking forward to it. It will be a slower pace,” he added.

According to Fox, Butterfield is expected "to begin lobbying and working as a policy consultant at a Washington law firm following his retirement."

This appears to be the reason why Butterfield decided to call its quits a few days early.

Specifics about Butterfield's new job remain unclear. Butterfield, though, has stated:

I will be a senior advisor there. There will be dozens of associates in the firm, and many of them are engaged in lobbying and so I will give them advice and counsel on effective lobbying both at the federal and state level.