Rep. Gerry Connolly, who represented Northern Virginia in Congress for more than a decade, died early Wednesday, his family announced. He was 75.
“It is with immense sadness that we share that our devoted and loving father, husband, brother, friend and public servant, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, passed away peacefully at his home this morning surrounded by family,” a statement posted to Connolly’s social media account said.
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WATCH HEREConnolly announced last month he is stepping down as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee and would not seek reelection next year due to his cancer returning, ending his long career in public life.
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SIGN UP “The sun is setting on my time in public service,” Connolly said in a statement in April. “With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we’ve accomplished together over 30 years.”
Connolly served in Congress since 2009. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement last month that Connolly was a “relentless advocate for the incredible civil servants” in his district during the Trump administration’s “unprecedented attacks on federal employees.”
Connolly announced late last year that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and would undergo chemotherapy and immunotherapy. He said last month that after “grueling treatments,” he learned that the cancer had returned.
Concerns about Connolly's health were a factor late last year as he ran for the top ranking position on Oversight, one of the most prominent committees in Congress.
Connolly represented Virginia's 11th Congressional District, which includes the city of Fairfax and most of Fairfax County. He won reelection to Congress eight times, NBC News reported.
Connolly was a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 2003 before becoming the board’s chairman.
On the county board, he steered the transition of Northern Virginia’s Tysons Corner from a traffic-heavy mall area to a downtown business hub. As chairman, he continued pushing for transportation investment that had been debated among officials for decades. Connolly sought billions in state and federal dollars to develop the regional rail system’s Silver Line connecting the national capital region to Tysons Corner.
Connolly’s dream was realized with the Silver Line’s opening in 2014, and eight years later, the rail line was extended an extra 11 miles to reach Dulles International Airport.
As the extension opened in 2022, Connolly said: “Doing big things is difficult — the world is filled with naysayers.”
Connolly’s local government experience launched his congressional career. He was elected in 2008 after flipping an open Republican-held seat by nearly 42,000 votes. In his victory speech, Connolly said he would use his position to ensure the federal bureaucracy is “a responsive, accountable instrument for the people we serve.”
“If we insist the government must work for all of our citizens again, we cannot fail,” Connolly said.
Connolly's family said his legacy is visible throughout the region.
"More important than his accomplishments in elected office, Gerry lived by the ethos of ‘bloom where you are planted.’ From the Silver Line to the Oakton Library, Mosaic District to the Cross County Trail and beyond, his legacy now colors our region," the family's statement said.
Connolly remembered for impact on the region
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, of Virginia, said he’s heartbroken by the loss.
“I’ve known Gerry for more than 35 years. To me, he exemplified the very best of public service,” Warner said in a statement. “Gerry was a fighter. His sharp mind, boundless energy, and deep commitment to the people of Northern Virginia made him a force to be reckoned with, whether on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors or in Congress.”
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Gerry Connolly. His decades of public service reflect a deep commitment to Virginia. Suzanne and I send our heartfelt prayers to his family, friends, and all who mourn his loss," Gov. Glenn Youngkin said.
Sen. Tim Kaine called him a one-of-a-kind public servant.
"I will miss his voice on the many issues that were lucky to benefit from his steadfast leadership, from delivering the congressional oversight the American people deserve and protecting NATO, to standing up for the many federal workers who call Virginia home and securing once-in-a-generation transportation infrastructure investments. His legacy will live on through all that he accomplished throughout his decades of public service and the countless people he inspired along the way," Kaine said in a statement.
“Crushingly sad to learn of the passing of Gerry Connolly, my friend, colleague and fierce champion of federal workers, public integrity and the people of Virginia (though he never surrendered his hearty south Boston accent). May his memory be a blessing to us all," Rep. Jamie Raskin said.
"Congressman Gerry Connolly was more than a public servant - he was a singular figure and force for good in our community, in the Commonwealth, and across the country. From his days on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to his leadership in Congress and on the world stage, he brought unmatched intellect, integrity, and energy to every challenge he faced," Fairfax County Supervisor James R. Walkinshaw said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
