Gerry Connolly, Virginia Congressman and Advocate for Federal Workers, Dies at 75

Gerry Connolly, Virginia Congressman And Advocate For Federal Workers, Dies At 75

Gerry Connolly — the sharp-tongued, quick-witted Democratic congressman from Virginia — has died at 75.

And Washington just got a whole lot quieter.

Connolly, who spent the last 16 years representing Virginia’s 11th District, passed away Tuesday at his home in Fairfax County after a fight with esophageal cancer, his family said in a statement. He was surrounded by loved ones.

The man was a Capitol Hill staple — think coffee-fueled committee hearings, booming floor speeches, and a masterclass in snarky one-liners. If C-SPAN had a blooper reel, he’d be on it. Often.

But behind the punchy comebacks was a politician who never missed the assignment. As The Washington Post noted, Connolly made it his mission to defend federal workers — especially during the Trump era, when the administration tried pulling some shady HR tricks (looking at you, Schedule F).

He didn’t just talk. He showed up. Loudly.

Before Congress, Connolly was the guy making the trains run (almost) on time in Fairfax County. He pushed for the Metro’s Silver Line expansion — and, yep, dealt with every traffic and zoning complaint you can imagine.

In D.C., he dug into government oversight like it was a true crime podcast. He battled bureaucracy, protected job protections, and basically lived in committee hearings. The Post credited him for standing up for career federal workers when it wasn’t popular — or politically convenient.

He announced in April that he wouldn’t seek re-election after revealing his cancer had returned. No drama. No long goodbye tour. Just a quiet statement and back to work.

Now, with Connolly gone, Virginia’s 11th is left without a mic-drop moment. A special election is coming. But let’s be real — replacing him won’t be easy.

He’s survived by his wife, Cathy Smith, and daughter, Caitlin — and a congressional record full of receipts.