Rep. Gerry Connolly, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, died on Wednesday at the age of 75.
He announced at the end of April that his esophageal cancer had returned and said he would not seek re-election. He said at the time that he planned to step down from the committee “soon.”
“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,” Connolly’s family said in a statement.
The statement continued, “Gerry lived his life to give back to others and make our community better. He looked out for the disadvantaged and voiceless. He always stood up for what is right and just.”
Connolly had served in Congress as a representative of Virginia’s 11th District — a largely affluent, suburban area outside of Washington — since 2009. In addition to the Oversight Committee, Connolly also served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Prior to his congressional tenure, he was chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Democrats in Congress picked Connolly to serve as the ranking member of the Oversight Committee in December, rejecting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s bid to serve as the party’s leader on the powerful panel. Ocasio-Cortez, 35, was one of multiple younger Democrats seeking generational change among the party’s top ranks. She announced earlier this month that she would not run for Connolly’s position on the committee after he stepped down. Several names have been floated as potential contenders, including Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland.
Tributes to Connolly from congressional members, staffers and journalists flooded social media on Wednesday. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, praised Connolly as a “fierce champion of federal workers, public integrity and the people of Virginia.”
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, called Connolly’s legacy “one of intellect, integrity, and relentless dedication to the people of Virginia’s 11th District and to our allies abroad.” “His absence will be deeply felt, both in Congress and on the international stage,” Turner wrote in a post on X. Connolly leaves behind his wife, Cathy, and daughter, Caitlin. Two other House Democrats have died this year: Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, at the age of 77, and Sylvester Turner of Texas, at the age of 70. Both died in March.
Hayley Miller is the senior breaking news and blogs editor for MS NOW.
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