Gerry Connolly wrote on social media on Monday that he has been diagnosed again with esophageal cancer, and that because of the return of the cancer, he will be stepping down from his role as ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, and will not be running for re-election to his Virginia congressional seat.
“The sun is setting on my time in public service,” said Connolly, who won re-election to a ninth term in Congress in November, and was, controversially, to some, named to the House Oversight Committee post by House Democratic leaders in January.
There was a push from younger Dems in the House caucus to supplant Connolly with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is no longer a member of the committee.
In the here and now, it appears that Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch will fill Connolly’s role on Oversight, the main investigative committee in the U.S. House.
Texas Democrat Jasmine Crockett is looked at as one of the favorites to get the ranking position on a full-time basis.
Connolly’s health and age – he’s 75 – were among the issues raised by critics of House Democratic leaders when they moved to install Connolly in the ranking-member post on Oversight earlier this year.
Connolly, in the here and now, is intent on finishing out the remainder of his two-year term in Congress, saying in his note posted to social media that he will “do everything possible to continue to represent you, and thank you for your grace.”
“Your outpouring of love and support has given me strength in my fights – both against cancer and in our collective defense of democracy,” Connolly said.
That support has been coming in from across the Commonwealth.
“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. I have no doubt that Gerry will continue to fight – for his health, for his community, and for the causes he believes in,” U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in a statement.
“Northern Virginia is a better place for Gerry Connolly’s decision to enter public service,” said Congressman Don Beyer, D-Va., a fellow NoVA Democrat in the House. “He has left an indelible mark on Fairfax County, our region, our Commonwealth, and our country as a tireless advocate for our federal workforce, the U.S. Postal Service, and our public transit system. He served his constituents faithfully, was a vigorous fighter for government reform, and remains one of the most effective legislators in either party.
“I cannot imagine the House without Gerry,” Beyer said. “We have been friends for many years, but for the past decade our partnership was an essential starting point from which so much important work followed. I deeply respect Gerry’s decision to put his constituents first by stepping back, but I will miss him terribly in Congress.”
“I’m personally grateful for the privilege of knowing Gerry, learning from him, and laughing with him,” said Abigail Spanberger, a former Northern Virginia congresswoman who is the Democratic Party nominee for governor in the 2025 election cycle. “Anyone who has ever met him knows what an extraordinary person he is. He’s a fighter. He’s strategic. He’s driven, and he’s compassionate. He frequently jokes of the little devil on his shoulder that encourages his wry wit and brings about rooms full of laughter, but it’s his giant heart that has led him in his public service.”
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Chris Graham
