Paul Mitchell, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, died Sunday after battling renal cancer, according to his wife Sherry Mitchell. He was 64 years old. “Paul stood up for what matters most, it had nothing to do with political ideology and everything to do with keeping our humanity,” she wrote. “For everyone.” Michigan state lawmakers spent an hour honoring Mitchell, who was critical of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and even rumored as a potential candidate for governor before announcing his plans to retire.

Mitchell has been adamant about former President Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 riots and has consistently called on Republicans to own up to his election lies, The Hill reported. In announcing that he was quitting the GOP last December, he said, “It is unacceptable for political candidates to treat our election system as though we are a third-world nation and incite distrust of something so basic as the sanctity of our vote.” He is survived by six children and six grandchildren.