Rep. Gerry Connolly announced Monday that his cancer has returned and that next year he will not seek another term representing Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in the House of Representatives.
Mr. Connolly also plans to step back from his post as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.
“After grueling treatments, we’ve learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned,” the Democrat said in an open letter to his constituents. “The sun is setting on my time in public service, and this will be my last term in Congress.”
“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,” he said. “My loving family and staff sustain me. My extended family — you all have been a joy to serve.”
Mr. Connolly announced in November that he was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and was undergoing chemotherapy.
The 75-year-old has been a fixture in Northern Virginia politics.
He served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including as chairman, before being elected to Congress in 2008, where his quick wit and humor helped him rise through the ranks.
Last December, House Democrats voted to make Mr. Connolly the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. He beat back a challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 35-year-old liberal firebrand from New York City who has fought to move the party further to the left.
His win was a victory for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who has led the party’s old guard against a new generation of upstart liberal lawmakers.
Mr. Connolly’s exit is fueling speculation about who will fill his shoes on the Oversight Committee. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez no longer sits on the panel, having taken a position on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Mr. Connolly, saying he “has tenaciously served the hardworking people of Northern Virginia with integrity.”
“During the recent unprecedented attacks on federal employees, Gerry has been a relentless advocate for the incredible civil servants who make up the backbone of his district’s workforce,” Mr. Jeffries, New York Democrat, said in a statement. “Gerry has had a remarkable career in the Congress, and I join the entire House Democratic Caucus in praying for him and his family as he confronts this difficult diagnosis.”
Rep. James Comer, chairman of the Oversight Committee, said he was “saddened” to learn that Mr. Connolly’s cancer had returned, and said he was praying for him and his family.
“He is a steadfast public servant who has spent his career serving Northern Virginians with honor and integrity,” Mr. Comer, Kentucky Republican, said. “It’s an honor to serve the American people alongside him, and I am rooting for him as he battles cancer once again.”
