Virginia Congressman Dies After Cancer Diagnosis

Updated at 11:40 a.m.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who represented Virginia's 11th Congressional district for more than 16 years, has died at age 75.

Connolly's family confirmed his death in a statement on Wednesday.

"It is with immense sadness that we share that our devoted and loving father, husband, brother, friend and public servant, Congressman Gerry E. Connolly, passed away peacefully at his home this morning surrounded by family," the family stated.

Last November, Connolly revealed that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and would immediately begin chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In late April, Connolly announced he would not run for re-election in 2026, as his cancer had returned despite treatments.

Connolly's Congressional Career

Connolly (D-Fairfax), first elected to Congress in 2008, was serving his ninth term. The 11th district includes a significant portion of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. In Congress, Connolly was ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Before joining Congress, Connolly served 14 years on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including five years as the chairman, and was credited with helping spur development of the Mosaic District, the creation of the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail and other accomplishments.

Condolences poured in from officials who remembered Connolly's service.

Colleagues Remember Connolly

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia) said he was "heartbroken over the loss of my dear friend Gerry Connolly. Warner had attended a celebration of Connolly's public service with Connolly's wife, daughter and community members in Fairfax on Sunday.

"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," Warner said. "He met every challenge with tenacity and purpose, including his final battle with cancer, which he faced with courage, grace, and quiet dignity."

Supervisor James Walkinshaw (D-Braddock), one of the candidates running for Connolly's 11th Congressional District seat, served as Connolly's chief of staff for 10 years. Walkinshaw said Connolly's public service made a difference, from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to Congress.

"His legacy is etched into every corner of our community - from the Oakton Library and the Mosaic District to the Silver Line and the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail," said Walkinshaw. "He fought tirelessly for people and communities who most needed a voice; the unhoused, the impoverished, and those suffering from illness or addiction. But for me, Gerry Connolly was a mentor, a friend, and one of the most formative figures in my life."

Rep. Don Beyer, a fellow Democratic congressman (D-Alexandria) said Connolly advocated for projects like the Silver Line and the Cross County Trail during his time with Fairfax County's board. In Congress, Beyer said Connolly, led efforts for postal reform and creation of the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission and was a "tireless" advocate for the federal workforce.

“Everyone who worked with him knew Gerry as a pugnacious fighter for his constituents, for good government, and for a range of causes around the world," said Beyer. "He was also warm, witty, and loyal, and he loved acting in community theater as a company member of the Providence Players of Fairfax. Above all, Gerry was beloved by his family, friends, and staff. Megan and I send our condolences to all of them, and especially my best wishes to [Connolly's wife] Smitty, [daughter] Caitlin, and their family."

Supervisor Rodney Lusk (D-Franconia), who serves as the board chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, called Connolly "an extraordinary public servant and visionary leader." Connolly was a previous Council of Governments board chair.

"During his time on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors - as member and then Chairman - and as a U.S. Representative in Congress, Gerry has been a champion for metropolitan Washington and our region’s shared priorities," said Lusk. "His legacy in our region includes his dynamic leadership advancing projects like Metro’s Silver Line, transforming the once car-centric Tysons into a vibrant, transit-oriented community, and helping lead COG efforts to create a water supply and drought plan for the region."

"Gerry Connolly was a hero who fought hard for our community all the way until his final breath," said state Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax), another candidate in the 11th District race. "We will forever be grateful to him in Fairfax County."

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Connolly was a “hardworking, humble and honorable public servant” who used his perch on the Oversight Committee “to push back against the unprecedented attacks on the federal workers in his district and across the country.”

Look Back At Connolly's Career In Public Service

Connolly's death leaves House Republicans with a 220-212 majority.

The spirited and at times bullheaded Fairfax Democrat became known for his voluble nature and willingness to engage in spirited debates. In one hearing, he accused Republicans of engaging in a witch hunt against the IRS, asking a witness if they ever read Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.”

A fixture of Virginia politics for three decades, Connolly was first elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1995. 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.

In 2003, Connolly was elected board chairman, and 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 (18 kilometers) 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 got his first taste of Congress while working as a staffer for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in the 1980s. Decades later, Connolly became a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

He also served as a member of the House Oversight Committee and led Democrats on subcommittees on government innovation and information technology.

Connolly cosponsored the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act, which requires federal agencies to allow a portion of their employees to telework at least one day a week. In 2014, he cosponsored another bill that reformed federal IT management and has since saved the government billions of dollars, according to the Government Accountability Office.

He also closely followed the financial burden of the slowing U.S. Postal Service, becoming a prominent voice accusing President Donald Trump and former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy of seeking to winnow the postal service to suppress mail-in ballots during the 2020 presidential election.

Connolly reached a new milestone late last year as he was chosen ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. He defeated Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the position.

As ranking member, Connolly called on inspectors general to investigate the Department of Government Efficiency. He and other Democrats also introduced a pair of resolutions demanding the Trump administration turn over documents and information about billionaire adviser Elon Musk’s potential conflicts of interest and the firings of federal workers.

Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.