Rep. Gerry Connolly, top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, dies at 75

[bearsfootball516]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON — Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee known for his vocal advocacy of federal workers and his frequent clashes with Republicans during televised hearings, died Wednesday morning, his family said. He was 75.

His death comes less than a year after he won a competitive race to become the ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, one of the key panels that are charged with keeping a check on the executive branch. He announced in April that his esophageal cancer had returned despite receiving “grueling treatments,” and he would not be running for reelection in 2026.

“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. He was a skilled statesman on the international stage, an accomplished legislator in Congress, a visionary executive on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, a fierce defender of democracy, an environmental champion, and a mentor to so many,” his family said in a statement announcing his death.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/rep-gerry-connolly-top-democrat-oversight-committee-dies-75-rcna208183

[Hotler]

1. Cross gently Sir.

[displacedvermoter]

2. Maybe Jake Tapper can write another book

[Oopsie Daisy]

32. Maybe his haters will come up with some conspiracy theory that his death was "rigged".

I swear, there's a lot of craziness on the internet and social media and discussion forums like Reddit, etc.

[2naSalit]

3. ...

[niyad]

4. Requiescat in pace.

[hlthe2b]

5. Oh, my. So very sorry to hear this news that he was lost to a cancer that is particularly aggressive & unrelenting.

Thank you for serving us all, Mr. Connelly.

I only hope that his last days and passing were met with good care that effectively eased his pain, good friends and family surrounding him, and the knowledge that he made a difference to many.

[homegirl]

20. I have to be pragmatic

and ask, what is the replacement process in Virginie?

[FakeNoose]

22. The Governor of Virginia will appoint a temporary replacement for Sen. Connolly

The Governor is free to appoint anyone he wants, even himself, as Joe Manchin (D-WV) did several years ago. Eventually the Virginia voters will elect a new Senator, but probably not until next year.

[Give Peace A Chance]

23. " a temporary replacement for Sen. Connolly"

WRONG!!!!
He was not a senator. He was in the House of Representatives.
That means a special election must be held to replace him.
The governor does not have a role in this.

[FakeNoose]

24. My bad, sorry

[lapucelle]

28. That's incorrect. The seat remains vacant until a special election is held.

House of Representatives Vacancies: How Are They Filled?

www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF11722

The Constitution treats vacancies in the House and the Senate differently. While the Seventeenth Amendment’s Senate Vacancy Clause mirrors the House Vacancy Clause by requiring an affected state’s Executive Authority to issue a writ of election to fill a vacancy, the Seventeenth Amendment also empowers states to permit the Executive Authority to fill Senate vacancies temporarily pending an election. In contrast, the House Vacancy Clause does not contemplate state Executive Authorities filling House vacancies temporarily.

https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S2-C4-1/ALDE_00013338/

[Polybius]

25. Glenn Youngkin will set a special election to replace Rep. Connolly

Probably it will be in November. Until then, the seat will remain vacant.

[SCantiGOP]

29. Right

Young kin will delay the election as long a possible, since it is a Dem seat. This essentially gives Johnson a bit more of a cushion.

[Polybius]

35. Unfortunately, this is a both-siders thing

Kathy Hochul did it in NY when a Republican seat was vacated in a safe district, and Ron DeSantis did it when a safe Democratic seat was vacated. However, when two Republicans in safe seats were vacated, DeSantis fast-tracked it (resigned in January, election April 1st).

I get why they do it though, it's politics and you have to have the upper hand as much as you can legally, and this is 100% legal as its within the rights of the governor.

[onenote]

34. In in

[PunkinPi]

6. RIP, Congressman Connolly, and thank you for your service!

[nitpicked]

7. Link to WTOP and to Wikipedia

https://wtop.com/congress/2025/05/va-rep-gerry-connolly-dead-at-75/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Connolly

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Holy shit

That was sudden although not unexpected at some point.

What a loss and he was one of the persistent firebrands.

R.I.P.

[LisaL]

26. He had esophageal cancer so not at all unexpected.

I don't think prognosis was good with his type of cancer.

[BumRushDaShow]

31. Yeah

But I also recall the unfortunate "battle" of who would be Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee - Gerry Connolly defeats AOC to become top Democrat on Oversight Committee

So although not unexpected as I noted, it was still rather sudden given that he was still fighting for that Ranking Member position for that Committee.

He is now the 3rd that we have lost to cancer just in the past couple months -

Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona dies at 77

Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Texas Democrat, dies at 70

[JohnSJ]

9. We are really getting hit by one sad event after another.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

10. Cross gently sir

and know that you will be missed.

[Dennis Donovan]

11. Cross gently, Rep Connolly

[onenote]

12. He served well not just his constituents -- and I was one -- but the entire country.

[IronLionZion]

13. Rest In Power

[Clouds Passing]

14. Gerry

[riversedge]

15. ..He is one of three Democratic congresspeople to have died in office in the last three months, following Ral Grijalva

My best to his family.





https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/21/gerry-connolly-death-virginia-democrat

..........He is one of three Democratic congresspeople to have died in office in the last three months, following Raúl Grijalva and Sylvester Turner.

Connolly, born in Boston, worked for a decade in the 1980s with the US Senate committee on foreign relations, then served in elected roles in Fairfax county, mostly on the wealthy northern Virginia area’s board of supervisors.

Connolly was pro-growth and pro-business and had “played a large part in Northern Virginia’s transformation from a bedroom community into a thriving technology hub”, The Washington Post said. During Connolly’s time in Congress, the district he represented moved from a swing area to firmly blue.

A large number of federal employees live in Connolly’s district, and he served as a stalwart supporter of the federal workforce as Trump sought to weaken federal unions and worker protections.

[iluvtennis]

16. May Gerry Connolly Rest in Peace and May his Memory be a Blessing. n/t

[JMCKUSICK]

17. Thank you for your service to this great

Nation Rep. Connolly. RIP

[mcar]

18. A good Democrat, a fine public servant

RIP, Rep. Connolly.

[calimary]

19. Sad news.

Sorry to have to lose him.

[gademocrat7]

21. Rest In Peace

Rep.Gerry Connolly. Thank you for fighting the good fight..

[sinkingfeeling]

27. R.I.P. This scares me as I had throat cancer 16 years ago and was diagnosed last year with

pre-cancerous cells in the lining of my esophagus.

[tonekat]

30. He was a great guy.

When I lived in FFX County, he'd come to our neighborhood events. A real man of the people.

[Exp]

33. Such as great guy and Rep. What a loss for humanity and our "government". nt