Gerry Connolly, From 2009 until 2025, Gerald Edward Connolly represented Virginia’s 11th congressional district. Born March 30, 1950, he died May 21, 2025. Tom Davis, a retired Republican, resigned and did not run for reelection, which led to his election as a Democrat in 2008. The 11th district covers northern Virginia suburbs. Connolly was a supervisor in Fairfax City before being elected to Congress.
Connolly announced in April 2025 that he will not compete for re-election in 2026 due to health concerns. He died in service on May 21, 2025.
Gerry Connolly Obituary : His Biography and Legal Legacy
Gerry Connolly Background and education
Connolly was born in Boston on March 30, 1950, to nurse Mary Therese (née O’Kane) and insurance salesman Edward R. Connolly. He graduated from Maryknoll Junior Seminary (Venard) in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, in 1968. He graduated in 1971 from Maryknoll College in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, with a BA in literature. Harvard Kennedy School awarded him an MPA in 1979.
Gerry Connolly’s Career
American Senate International Relations Committee
Connolly served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1979 until 1989. He directed the committee’s work on global economic concerns, drug control, UN and Middle East policy, and reports on American foreign policy toward Israel, Central America, El Salvador, and the Persian Gulf. He led SRI International’s Washington branch from 1989 until 1997. He also directed SAIC’s community relations.
Connolly was on the Fairfax Government Reorganization Commission, a key local political body, during 1992–1993. He was Providence district supervisor for nine years, starting in 1995.
Gerry Connolly Supervisors of Fairfax County
Gerry Connolly participated in the 2015 Independence Parade in Fairfax City.
In a special election for the Providence District seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 28, 1995, Connolly defeated Republican Jeannemarie A. Devolites to begin his political career. In November, Connolly was re-elected to a four-year board term in a rematch against Devolites. No one challenged Connolly for reelection in November 1999. After winning elections in 2003 and 2007, he currently serves as the chairman of the Fairfax County supervisors.
Connolly led the 10-person board to build the county into the thirteenth largest city, the twelfth largest educational system, and the sixth largest office market while maintaining a $4.5 billion budget. He also held the positions of vice chair of the county economic advisory committee and chairman of the legislative committee.
Connolly chaired the NVRC’s board and managed the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) in addition to his MWCOG duties. The Virginia Association of Counties (VaCo) president represented Fairfax County on its board. Regional Emergency Preparedness Task Force leader.
Gerry Connolly The US Legislature
Committee duties
Panel on International Relations (2009–2025)
Middle East/South Asia Subcommittee (2009-25)
Asia-Pacific Division (2013–2025)
I served as the Chairman of the Oversight and Reform Committee from 2009 to 2025, and as a ranking member in 2025.
Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman (2013–2025)
Regulatory Affairs, Economic Growth, and Job Creation Subcommittee (2013–2025)
U.S. NATO Parliamentary Assembly chair (2013–2025)
BREAKING: Democrat Congressman Gerry Connolly has passed away.RIP.
— Krassensteins (@krassenstein.bsky.social) 2025-05-21T12:41:03.429Z
Gerry Connolly Previous committee work
Budget Committee (2009–2011)
State Department Trade, Nonproliferation, and Terrorism Subcommittee (2011–2013)
2011–2013 Federal Employees, Postal Service, and Nation’s Capital Committee
The 2011–2013 Government Spending, Management, and Procurement Committee
Caucus members
Congress’ American Sikh Caucus
Congressional Arts Caucus
Taiwan Joint Committee in Congress
Congressional Cloud Computing Collaborative
Congress Cement Caucus
Coalition of New Democrats
The Lithuanian House Caucus
Congressional Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus
US-Japan Caucus
Solar Caucus on Capitol Hill
Legislative Group for Equal Rights Amendment
Congress’ Turkish American Caucus
Conservation Caucus in Congress
U.S.-China Joint Task Force
Rare Disease Caucus
Introduced bills
Connolly, the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, co-sponsored the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (H.R. 1232; 113th Congress) with Darrell Issa. This bill would change and enhance the federal government’s technology acquisition mechanism. A more efficient government procurement approach is required.
The bill would empower government CIOs to execute their jobs better. Every agency would have a single chief information officer (CIO), who would be responsible for any agency-wide IT initiative’s success or failure. The measure would also require the federal government to embrace private sector best practices. It aims to reduce wasteful IT expenditure.
Connolly said, “There are more than 250 identified CIOs in the federal government, yet none possess the necessary authority to effectively manage IT investments,” which has “resulted in duplicative and wasteful IT spending.” The House passed the bill by voice vote on February 25, 2014.
As ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Connolly and Issa co-sponsored this bill in 2014. Government Reports Elimination Act (113th Congress, H.R. 4194). A proposed bill would eliminate 100 useless federal agency reports. Connolly said, “In today’s challenging fiscal environment, it is incumbent that we leverage every opportunity to streamline or eliminate antiquated agency reporting requirements that are duplicative, irrelevant, or simply ignored.” The House approved the measure by voice vote on April 28, 2014.
The Center for Effective Lawmaking found Connolly to be the most productive legislator in the 117th US Congress.
Gerry Connolly’s Political views
FiveThirtyEight found that Connolly always supported President Joe Biden in January 2023.
Gerry Connolly Having an abortion
Connolly supported abortion legalization. He voted against the Affordable Care Act’s Stupak Amendment, which would have severely curtailed health insurers’ abortion coverage. He opposed a 2011 budget proposal that would have prevented Planned Parenthood from getting public financing.
Gerry Connolly Freedom of individuals
Connolly voted for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which funds the US Armed Forces and includes soldier pay. The bill’s controversial provision allows the government and military to detain “who was part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners,” as well as anyone who commits a “belligerent act” in support of these enemy forces.
The Authorization for Use of Military Force authorizes the imprisonment of these individuals “without trial until the end of the hostilities.” The measure codifies federal court judgments on this topic but does not give the President further authority.
Gerry Connolly U.S. President
Connolly supported the articles in Trump’s first impeachment trial. He interrupted the stories to say that coercing “a foreign country to investigate your political opponent is an unconstitutional abuse of power. To solicit foreign interference in an American election is an unconstitutional abuse of power.”
He opposed renaming Dulles International Airport to honor Trump, which Republicans want. Given his multiple criminal charges, Trump said, “If Republicans want to name something after him, I suggest they find a federal prison.”
Gerry Connolly Economics
Connolly voted for the Omnibus Appropriations Act, Cash for Clunkers, and its extension in 2009. He also voted yes on all 2010 federal funding measures, including the 2011 Continuing Appropriations Act. He opposed the $350 billion bank bailout and the $154 billion expenditure plan because he believed that both would increase the federal debt.
He helped pass pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budget legislation in February 2010, which was signed into law.
In May 2011, Gerry Connolly cast a vote to raise the debt ceiling, but it received unanimous rejection. He got three such votes.
Connolly and 46 other Democrats opposed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023’s House ratification.
Gerry Connolly Power sources
Connolly supported the measure because it will improve national security and energy innovation. After assessing safety criteria, he voted to relax the moratorium on deepwater drilling rigs in 2010. The Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition was founded by 35 MPs, including Connolly.
Gerry Connolly LGBT issues
Gerry Connolly spoke out against the Marshall-Newman Amendment, which barred gay relationships in Virginia, and advocated for LGBT rights. He voted in Congress to eliminate the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy that excluded openly gay service personnel. He co-sponsored legislation that partly overturned the Defense of Marriage Act, which barred same-sex marriage nationwide.
Guns
Connolly advocated a regulation banning loaded shotguns in trunks while on Fairfax County’s board of supervisors. Connolly co-sponsored a measure in Congress that would have tightened background check and reporting procedures for gun show private transactions, reducing the gap. Gerry Connolly believes schools and colleges are unsafe for concealed carry.
The National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act would have freed non-residents of states that prohibit concealed guns, but Connolly voted against it in November 2011.
Medical care
In September 2009, Connolly endorsed the public health insurance option and the Democratic health care plan—later dubbed the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act—during a live chat with constituents in Washington, D.C. A view: “One of my principles for health care reform is that it increases the choices you have. By setting up a health insurance exchange, we can give your family more insurance choices, hopefully including one that your daughter’s doctor chooses to accept.” Connolly opposed the Stupak-Pitts Amendment but backed the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act in 2010.
Connolly used debt reduction to support his health care vote.
Ganja drug
Connolly supported rescheduling marijuana for medicinal and scientific use.
Gerry Connolly Veteran service members
Connolly co-sponsored the Helping Active Duty Deployed and Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Acts.
Gerry Connolly Foreign-related concerns
Connolly supported the Syria war.
After the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, he voted for aid. He voted against labeling anti-Zionism antisemitic after the event.
In April 2024, Connolly backed three supplemental military aid packages for Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine, like other Democrats. After all three bills passed, he scolded House Republicans for delaying voting.
The family of Dem Rep. Gerry Connolly announced that he has died at 75. Connolly had been fighting cancer.
— Phil Lewis (@phillewis.bsky.social) 2025-05-21T12:48:26.705Z
Gerry Connolly Public office candidate
in 2008
Also see the 2008 Virginia Congressional District 11 US House elections.
Connolly defeated former Congresswoman Leslie L. Byrne by 24 points in the 2008 Democratic primary. He handily defeated Republican candidate Keith Fimian by almost 10 points in the campaign to replace Republican incumbent Tom Davis. Joseph P. Oddo was a Green Party independent.
in 2010
Primary source: 2010 Virginia eleventh congressional district election.
Also see 2010 11th Congressional District of Virginia elections.
In 2010, Fimian challenged Connolly again. David William Gillis, Jr., who is a libertarian, and David L. Dotson, who is an independent, also ran. Connolly received less than 1,000 votes.
year 2012
Republican Chris Perkins, Green Joe Galdo, and independents Peter Marchetti, Chris DeCarlo, and Mark Gibson all challenged Connolly. 61 percent of the vote went to him. Redistricting benefited Connolly greatly. His popularity in the area allowed Davis to comfortably retain the old 11th, a swing district. The 11th is far more democratic than the 10th due to redistricting. This is one of the most Democratic white-majority districts in the South. In 2008, Barack Obama earned 57% of the vote, but with the revised lines, 61%.
in 2014
See also the 2014 Virginia 11th congressional district elections.
Connolly defeated Libertarian Marc Harrold, Green Joe Galdo, and Republican Suzanne Scholte in his reelection contest with 56.86%.
2016 was
See also: 2016 Virginia 11th district US House elections.
The 2016 Connolly reelection race was unopposed. He won re-election with 87.89%.
year 2018
Refer to the 2018 Virginia § District 11 elections for the US House of Representatives.
US libertarian Stevan Porter and army veteran Jeff Dove campaigned against him in 2018.
year 2020
Also see Virginia’s 11th District 2020 US House elections.
On the general election ballot was Connolly’s progressive primary opponent, Zainab Mohsini. In the Democratic primary, Connolly beat Mohsini. Connolly defeated Republican Manga Anantatmula in 2020.
2022
Also consider the 11th District of Virginia’s 2022 US House of Representatives elections.
Connolly’s 2022 Republican opponent was retired administrative law judge Jim Myles. He was reelected by a margin of 66.9%.
2024
Connolly defeated attorney Ahsan Nasar with 85.64 percent of the vote. With 66.68 percent of the vote, Connolly defeated Republican Mike Van Meter in the general election.
Private life
Connolly and his daughter Caitlin attend the 2015 Fairfax City July 4th parade.
Connolly and Cathy lived in Mantua.
Connolly performed in numerous Providence Players of Fairfax shows.
Gerry Connolly Legal issues
Connolly was charged with “a misdemeanor count of hit and run” in 2004 for damaging a 2003 Ford Explorer and his 2003 Toyota Camry, causing $500 in damage. Connolly claims he was unaware of the Explorer hitting his left front wheel when he swerved and stopped. Many believed that the Fairfax County Police Department should have handled Connolly differently since he was facing a minor misdemeanor rather than a crime, which may have prompted his retirement.
Judge Craig Johnston dismissed the misdemeanor prosecution because Connolly’s “position and duties have caused him to be oblivious to what is going on in his car.” David Freddoso of the Washington Examiner criticized the judge’s judgment.
Gerry Connolly Attack 2023
Two staffers were hurt after a man went into Connolly’s Fairfax, Virginia, office and beat them with a baseball bat on May 15, 2023. The U.S. recognized 49-year-old Fairfax resident Xuan Kha Tran Pham. Capitol Police. No one assaulted Connolly in the office. After asking the woman’s ethnicity, Pham damaged a car window, which led to his second indictment.
Gerry Connolly Health
Following being reelected in November 2024, Connolly stated he had esophageal cancer following stomach pain. He requested immunotherapy and chemotherapy. His condition returned, and he retired from public duty in April 2025. He died at home in Fairfax County on May 21, 2025.
Honoring Gerry Connolly
In moments like these, we feel the loss deeply. Gerry Connolly had a profound impact on many lives.
If you have any memories or thoughts to share, please feel free to leave a comment below. Let’s come together to remember and celebrate his life.
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