Congressman Gerry Connolly died at the age of 75 on Wednesday morning.
The Virginia Democrat ‘passed away peacefully at his home,’ according to a statement from his family.
‘His absence will leave a hole in our hearts, but we are proud that his life’s work will endure for future generations,’ they wrote.
Rep. Connolly announced he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer just days after the 2024 election in November.
‘The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress,’ he said in a statement in April when revealing his cancer had returned.
Connolly served as a member of the House representing Virginia’s 11th congressional district since 2009.
Since the start of the current Congress in January, Connolly served as Democratic ranking member of the highly influential House Oversight Committee.
But in April he announced he was stepping down from that role.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) died just over six months after announcing he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer
‘With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride of what in what we accomplished together over 30 years,’ he wrote in a letter to constituents and colleagues.
The cancer death comes just days after former President Joe Biden’s office announced he was diagnosed this month with an ‘aggressive form’ of prostate cancer.
And earlier this year, Connolly’s colleague Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas) died at the age of 70 amid reports he was battling cancer in his jaw since before election in November 2024.
Rep. Connolly’s family released a statement posted to the late lawmaker’s X account shortly after his passing on Wednesday morning