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.
"He looked out for the disadvantaged and voiceless. He always stood up for what is right and just," Connolly's family wrote in an X post shared Wednesday morning, adding that he was "a skilled statesman on the international stage" and "an accomplished legislator in Congress."
