Gerry Connolly, a Democratic stalwart in the U.S. House of Representatives and a prominent voice for Northern Virginia, has died at age 75. His family confirmed his passing, describing his decades of public service as “a true vocation and enduring legacy.”
Connolly had publicly disclosed several months ago that the esophageal cancer he was first diagnosed with in 2024 had returned. In April, he announced he would not seek re-election in 2026 and would step down from his post as ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In a message to his constituents, he said his journey in public life was drawing to a close and called serving his community “a profound joy.”
Over a career spanning more than a decade in Congress, Connolly became one of the most vocal defenders of federal workers, especially under administrations he viewed as hostile to the public sector. In recent years, he sharply criticized President Trump and the current DOGE administration for what he called deliberate efforts to undermine the federal workforce through budget cuts and reductions in core services.
International affairs were also central to Connolly’s legislative focus. A former staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he remained deeply involved in global governance and transatlantic alliances. In 2024, he was appointed interim president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, where colleagues praised his leadership and vision, particularly in promoting democratic resilience across member states.
Connolly’s path to politics was shaped by his Irish Catholic upbringing and early religious training as a seminarian. He later graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and often described himself as “a passionate advocate for strategic governance.” In 2012, he proudly told supporters he had “never lost an election — from high school to Congress.”
Connolly is remembered not only for his policy acumen but for a work ethic that defined his tenure on Capitol Hill — a presence marked by persistence, conviction, and an unyielding commitment to public service.
