Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia won't seek reelection and will step down from House Oversight panel perch

Daniela Altimari, CQ-Roll Call on Apr 28, 2025

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WASHINGTON — Five months after announcing his esophageal cancer diagnosis, Virginia Rep. Gerald E. Connolly said Monday that he won’t seek a 10th term and also plans to step down as the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

“The sun is setting on my time in public service,’’ Connolly, 75, said in a message to his constituents in Virginia’s 11th District. “With no rancor and a full heart, I move into this final chapter full of pride in what we’ve accomplished together over 30 years.”

Connolly said he had been undergoing “grueling treatment ... but the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned.” He initially disclosed his diagnosis two days after the 2024 election. At the time, he pledged transparency regarding his treatment and prognosis.

Connolly said he intends to step back from his responsibilities as ranking member on the Oversight panel “soon,” though he did not specify a time. He faced a challenge for the leadership post last fall from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a contest that spotlighted generational tensions within the Democratic Party. Democrats view the Oversight panel as a key platform from which to push back against President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Connolly represents a safely blue suburban district in Northern Virginia that is centered on the city of Fairfax outside Washington. He won reelection last fall by 34 points, as district voters backed Kamala Harris by a similar margin, according to calculations by elections analyst Drew Savicki. This leaves Democrats as the heavy favorites to hold his seat next year when House Republicans will be defending their narrow majority.

Before coming to Congress, Connolly served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. He was first elected to the House in 2008, succeeding Republican Thomas M. Davis III in what was then a swing district. With the exception of a close 2010 race during the tea party wave, Connolly has been comfortably reelected as the D.C. suburbs in Northern Virginia underwent a rapid blue shift.

Following his announcement, several prominent Democrats sent Connolly public messages of encouragement and praise.

“You’ve been a fierce defender of truth and accountability, and it’s been an honor to not only serve alongside you, but to learn from you,’’ Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett posted on social media. Crockett is the Oversight Committee’s vice ranking member — a position for Democratic panelists who have served on a committee for fewer than five terms — and has been discussed as a possible successor to Connolly as the panel’s top Democrat.