Republican Mark Harris announced Tuesday that he would not run again to represent North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District following allegations of election fraud.

The pastor said that a “necessary surgery” in March would prevent him from running again.

“Given my health situation, the need to regain full strength and the timing of this surgery the last week of March, I have decided not to file in the new election for Congressional District 9,” Mr. Harris said in a statement, according to CNBC.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections have not set a new date for the special election, which is the last of 2018. Mr. Harris‘ opponent Dan McCready, a Democrat, has declared his candidacy for the new election.

Mr. Harris‘ win was tainted with accusations of absentee ballot tampering by campaign staffer Leslie McCrae Dowless, which led to the new election to be ordered.