Connolly says this will be his last term in Congress

U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly announced Monday that he will be stepping back as ranking Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Oversight Committee and that this will be his final term in Congress, as his cancer has returned after a brief remission.

In an email to constituents, the Fairfax County Democrat wrote, “The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress.” In November 2024, he announced he had esophageal cancer.

The 75-year-old Connolly was first elected to Congress in 2008, and he served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1995 to 2009, resigning to assume national office. Connolly was named the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in January, and he has served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs since 2009.

Connolly currently represents Virginia’s 11th congressional district, which includes the city of Fairfax and most of Fairfax County.

“When I announced my diagnosis six months ago, I promised transparency,” he wrote. “After grueling treatments, we’ve learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned. I’ll do everything possible to continue to represent you and thank you for your grace.”

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner issued a statement shortly after Connolly’s announcement: “Throughout his career, Gerry Connolly has exemplified the very best of public service — fiercely intelligent, deeply principled and relentlessly committed to the people of Northern Virginia and our nation.

“Whether it’s standing up for federal workers, advocating for good governance, or now confronting cancer with the same resilience and grit that have defined his life of public service, Gerry is one of the toughest fighters I know. I have no doubt that Gerry will continue to fight — for his health, for his community, and for the causes he believes in.”