Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia), a longtime liberal voice representing Northern Virginia in Congress, said Monday that he would not be seeking reelection next year after his esophageal cancer returned following treatment.
Connolly, 75, had first announced his diagnosis last fall just days after winning reelection to a ninth term representing the state’s 11th Congressional District, which covers much of Fairfax County.
But “we’ve learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned,” he wrote in an email to constituents. “The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress.”
Connolly said he would also be stepping back “soon” from his role as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, a role for which he had fought a fierce intraparty battle just a few months ago — an early preview of a rift in recent months between longtime representatives and younger Democrats over the party’s direction.
As a member of the Oversight Committee, Connolly was a fierce examiner of President Donald Trump’s political appointees and policies. More broadly, he fashioned himself as an unrelenting advocate for the thousands of federal employees who live in the Washington region, a position he staked long before that workforce was targeted by the current Trump administration’s massive layoffs and spending cuts.
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Locally, Connolly’s legacy is intertwined with the growth of Fairfax County, the D.C. suburb where, before joining Congress, he served as a county supervisor for 14 years, five of them as the board chair.
In that role, he partnered with real estate developers and business groups to guide Fairfax’s transition from a sleepy bedroom community to an economic powerhouse that is now home to nearly a dozen Fortune 500 companies.
“When I think of Fairfax County, there is not a soul that is leaving bigger shoes to fill than Gerry is,” County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay (D) said in an interview Monday. “You can look around the county all over the place and see things that exist today as a result of his work.”
Among other notable achievements, Connolly led the region’s efforts to build Metro’s Silver Line, connecting D.C. to the Washington Dulles International Airport while also serving as a catalyst for the redevelopment of Tysons Corner. He also spearheaded the creation of the bustling Mosaic District of shops and restaurants in what was once an industrial portion of Merrifield.
And he also championed the creation of a 40-mile hiking trail that traverses the length of Fairfax County, an arc that starts and ends at the Potomac River and that in 2014 was renamed in his honor.
Proud of his Irish American heritage, the Boston-raised Connolly was also well-known for his annual “St. Patrick’s Day Fete” — a must-attend event for local Democrats he started 31 years ago that included a closely-watched straw poll gauging the state of the year’s upcoming elections.
His announcement on Monday prompted an outpouring of support for the congressman’s battle with cancer, as well as tributes to his impact on the region.
“Throughout his career, Gerry Connolly has exemplified the very best of public service — fiercely intelligent, deeply principled, and relentlessly committed to the people of Northern Virginia and our nation,” U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) said in a statement. “Whether it’s standing up for federal workers, advocating for good governance, or now confronting cancer with the same resilience and grit that have defined his life of public service, Gerry is one of the toughest fighters I know.”
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said in a statement that he had a conversation with Connolly about his diagnosis on Monday morning.
“For decades, my friend Gerry Connolly has shown Virginia and the country how to fight for what is right,” Kaine said. “I’m deeply moved by the way he has brought that same courage to his fight against cancer, and will do all I can to support him and his family.”
Connolly’s announcement also set off speculation over who might jump into what is likely to be a crowded race to succeed him.
Fairfax Supervisor James Walkinshaw (D-Braddock), Connolly’s former chief of staff on Capitol Hill, is seen as a potential contender, as are State Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) and former state House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn.
In his Monday statement, Connolly bid farewell a political career that has spanned three decades.
“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,” he said.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
