Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly died Wednesday at age 75, weeks after stepping down from a top Democratic role and announcing he would not seek re-election after the return of esophageal cancer.

Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, who edged out New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) for a top Democratic post in December before stepping down, died from esophageal cancer on Wednesday, becoming the third Democrat to die in office this term.

The late congressman made headlines in December when, with support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he defeated AOC to lead the House Oversight Committee, despite reportedly violating stock trading laws, according to Raw Story. AOC would have been the youngest Democrat to chair a House committee at 35 years old.

  • Cethin@lemmy.zipEnglish
    3·
    22 hours ago

    The problem isn’t that they’re old. The problem is that seniority trumps everything else. He was worse for the position, but he got it because he had seniority.

    He wasn’t bad because he was old, he was just worse and got it because he was old.