Rep. Jerry Connolly (D-Va.) announced Monday that he will step out of the top Democratic seat on the strong surveillance and government reform committee, citing his return to esophageal cancer, which he has been fighting since late last year.
Connolly said he would leave Congress at the end of the semester, his ninth serving North Virginia in the House.
“The sun is going to set in my time in public service, which will be my last term in Congress. I will soon be returning as a ranking member of the Oversight Committee,” Connolly said in a statement on his constituency.
“I don’t have a complete rancor and heart, so I’m moving on to this final chapter where I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished together for over 30 years,” he continued. “My beloved family and staff support me. My large family – you were all a joy to serve.”
The move will resume seats, which were the topic of conflict towards the new Congress. This has now been in his 17th year, where Connolly beats a challenge from lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.), a more junior council member on the Board of Supervisors.
The contest exposed a wider rift within the Democrats’ Caucus, not only in the role of seniority in determining the best committee posts after Republicans gained control of the House, Senate and White House in November, but also in the future and image of the party as a whole.
Democrats who supported Ocasio-Cortez, a six-year veteran at Capitol Hill, had insisted on a new generation of younger figures to take the party’s reins and refresh themselves with new ideas. But Connolly easily won the race, placing him in a coveted place with a strong panel that governs almost every aspect of the federal government. This is a very important seat for Democrats who will compete for President Trump in his second term.
According to rule Of the House Democrat Caucus, surveillance ranking member slots must be filled within 30 days of the day the vacancy occurs. Caucuses usually use the same process to elect committee leadership. The Management and Policy Committee will nominate members as nominators, and the Caucus will vote for the next leader.
Connolly, 75, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in November and announced that he plans to receive treatment “quickly.”
“I attack this in the only way I know, with Irish battles and humor,” Connolly wrote in a statement. “With our excellent team of doctors, nurses and medical technicians, we are extremely confident in our successful outcome.”
“I might be a little tired from treatment when I’ve been working in our district or in the hills over the last few months,” he added. “I hope you understand.”
Despite the news, Virginia Democrats have won the top Democrat slot on the House Oversight Committee. This was vacant after Rep. Jamie Ruskin (D-Md.) left to become a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Connolly defeated Ocasio-Cortez in the Caucus’s closing vote.
However, on Monday, Connolly said the return of cancer forced a heart change.
“When I announced my diagnosis six months ago, I promised transparency. After strict treatment, I knew that the cancer was first beaten, but now it’s back,” he said.
“I will do everything I can to continue to represent you and thank you for your blessing.”
Connolly’s democratic allies in Virginia quickly gained heavy weight after the announcement, and praised Connolly as a highly principled lawmaker and dedicated civil servant.
“Whether you stand up for federal workers and defend good governance or stand up to cancer with the same resilience and grit that defined the lives of public services, Jerry is one of the toughest fighters I know,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said in a statement Monday.
“There’s no doubt that Jerry will continue to fight, for his health, for his community, and for the causes he believes.”
