Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia died Wednesday morning at age 75 after a battle with esophageal cancer, his family announced. Connolly, a longtime Washington insider with more than four decades of public office under his belt, passed away just weeks after stepping down as the top Democrat on the powerful House Oversight Committee.
His death marks the third House Democrat to die in office in 2025 — a troubling trend for a party already struggling with aging leadership and deep internal divisions.
Connolly’s passing comes at a critical time on Capitol Hill, as House Republicans push forward President Trump’s much-anticipated One Big Beautiful Bill Act through a razor-thin majority. With Democrats losing yet another seat, the GOP’s legislative leverage just got a little stronger — even if temporarily.
Connolly’s career was the quintessential Washington story — a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffer in the 1970s who rode the wave of establishment politics through local and federal government. He served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors beginning in 1995 and climbed the ranks to become chairman before landing a seat in Congress in 2008.
While he occasionally masqueraded as a “pro-business” Democrat, Connolly was a reliable vote for his party’s progressive agenda and a frequent critic of Republican reforms. He backed federal overreach in local infrastructure projects, including championing the costly extension of the D.C. Metro’s Silver Line to Dulles Airport — a project mired in delays and budget overruns.
Despite his self-styled image as a moderate Democrat, Connolly never shied away from playing politics. Most recently, he beat out far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the ranking Democratic spot on the Oversight Committee — with help from none other than Nancy Pelosi. The move was viewed by many as a power play to keep the Democratic establishment in control of a committee often at the center of Washington’s fiercest investigations.
Connolly’s death is just the latest in a string of congressional losses for Democrats this year. Reps. Sylvester Turner (D-TX) and Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) also died earlier in 2025, making Connolly the third Democratic lawmaker to pass away while in office in less than six months. The last eight members of Congress to die in office have all been Democrats — an uncomfortable reminder that the party of “new ideas” is still run by aging insiders.
House Republicans now hold a slim 220-212 majority, giving Speaker Mike Johnson limited but crucial breathing room as he shepherds key legislation through a deeply divided chamber. Every vote matters — and with the Democrats’ ranks continuing to shrink, their path to obstructing GOP priorities is getting harder.
While Connolly’s politics may have been divisive, his colleagues across the aisle offered respectful words in light of his passing.
“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Ranking Member Gerry Connolly. He was a dedicated public servant who represented Virginia’s 11th Congressional District with honor and integrity,” said Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY).
Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), were quick to issue glowing statements, hailing Connolly as “humble and honorable.”
But to many Americans, especially conservatives, Connolly embodied the entrenched D.C. establishment — long on platitudes, short on results.
As the Democratic Party grapples with its future and tries to rally behind a struggling President Biden, the death of yet another longtime figure in its leadership only underscores the challenges ahead.
Gerry Connolly’s passing may be mourned in Washington circles, but outside the Beltway, many are simply ready for a changing of the guard.
