Campaign Website:
https://gerryconnolly.com/

Campaign POC:

Phone Number: 703-375-9374

Campaign Email: info@gerryconnolly.com

Vetting Panel Selected: Pending

Structured Interview Completed: Pending

Biography: Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly has been representing the 11th Congressional District of Virginia in Congress since 2008. Gerry is serving his seventh term in Congress, and is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Government Operations. Congressman Connolly also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, as well as on the Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Congressman Connolly currently serves as the President of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), where he guides their international security agenda and is focused on strengthening US commitment to the transatlantic alliance. He was elected President of the Freshman class by his colleagues. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Gerry’s career as a public official began on March 28, 1995 when he was elected Providence District Supervisor on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which he served as for nine years. In 2003, he was elected Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and was reelected in 2007. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

He served as Chairman of the County’s Legislative Committee and Vice-Chair of the Economic Advisory Committee, as well as Chairman of the Board of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), Chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), and Chairman of the region’s Emergency Preparedness Taskforce. Gerry represented Fairfax County on the Board of the Virginia Association of Counties (VaCo) where he also served as president. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

In 2000, Gerry received COG’s Scull Award. In 2002, he received an environmental achievement award from the Hunter Mill Defense League and was recognized by Fairfax Trails and Streams. In 2005, Gerry received an award from Catholics for Housing. In 2006, he was named Outstanding Local Official in the United States by the American Public Transit Association. Gerry was named Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s 2006 Man of the Year. In 2013, Gerry was named the FedScoop Tech Champion of the Year, and in 2015 was a recipient of the Federal Computer Week Eagle Award. In 2016, he was given the Protector of The Potomac Award by the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Gerry received a B.A. in Literature from Maryknoll College in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and an M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1979. After graduating from Harvard, he began a ten-year career with the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he worked for then Senator and future President Joe Biden. Prior to his election to Congress Gerry spent twenty years in the private sector working in the information technology and government contracting industry, serving as the Vice President for Washington operations for SRI International and as Vice President for Community Relations for SAIC, a fortune 500 company headquartered in Fairfax. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Gerry Connolly and Cathy “Smitty” Smith, his wife of more than forty-five years, live in Mantua and have been residents of Fairfax County since 1979. Their daughter, Caitlin Rose, is a graduate of the University of Virginia. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

 
Why you? Refused to answer.

What are your priorities? See website for detailed information of issues. Specific points of interest to CFV have been identified below and sourced. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Covid-19 Response

Criminal Justice Reform

Racial Justice

Supports the end of qualified immunity. Supports reparations for “enslavement, exploitation and disenfranchisement of Black people, and the continued legacy of slavery and racism in the United States.” Supports DC statehood. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Protecting Health Care

Gerry has consistently advocated for full funding for the National Institute of Health, Planned Parenthood and maternal health, and research and development to solve the medical issues of the 21st century. And with the ongoing attacks on reproductive freedoms, he believes it is beyond time to enshrine the protections of Roe v. Wade law. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Retirement Security

He was a staunch proponent of the Affordable Care Act, and has used his position on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to root out financial inefficiency in the Medicare system, targeting the over $70 billion that is lost annually due to waste, abuse and fraud. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Reproductive Justice

The greatest priority for Congressman Connolly is passing a law that codifies the protections of Roe v. Wade, and the right for women to make choices about their own body. He has led the fight to overturn the Hyde Amendment and allow federal funding for abortion, has fought to stop the government from trying to pry their way into the personal business of a woman and her doctor, and defended Planned Parenthood and the breadth of indispensable services they provide from continuous Republicans political attacks and attempts to defund them. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

He is proud that his advocacy for female and reproductive rights has gained him the endorsements of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the National Organization for Women PAC, as well as an 100% voting record from NARAL. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Compassionate Immigration Policy

He also staunchly opposed limits on refugees imposed by the Trump administration, and publicly pressured President Biden to reverse those limits, as well as having introduced the Lady Liberty Act of 2021 to institute a minimum of at least 125,000 refugees to be admitted to the country annually. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Environmental Justice

Supports the Green New Deal. He helped successfully pass the largest government investments in clean energy, and was a proud supporter of the Paris Climate Agreement and Clean Power Plan. Congressman Connolly has continuously opposed Republican efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. For his efforts, Gerry has consistently been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters, two of the largest pro-environment advocacy organizations in the country. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Ending the Gun Violence Epidemic

Congressman Connolly is proud of his endorsement from the Brady Campaign and Gun Sense Voter, and of his “F” rating from the NRA, which is headquartered in Fairfax and where he frequently joins the community to demonstrate, hold vigils, and protests. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Prescription Drugs

The victims of drug addiction need to be helped and supported through their rehabilitation, not punished and facing criminal prosecution. That is why Congressman Connolly co-sponsored the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act, to establish programs and funding to address substance abuse, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction, as well as the distribution of overdose reversal drugs such as Narcane. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Congressman Connolly also introduced the Opioid Immediate Suspension Order Act, which was geared towards helping the Department of Justice respond to the growing crisis, allowing them to investigate and suspend distributor’s licenses if there were suspicious findings. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

He also supports the Biden administration’s vaccine patent waiver, understanding that this vaccine is a result of years of massive government funding for research, and that this pandemic demands unprecedented public-private partnership in order to save lives here in the US and across the world. Even before the pandemic, he was fighting to codify the The Global Health and Security Act to ensure US investments in global efforts to prevent, prepare, and respond to worldwide public health threats. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Good Governance

Trump and his allies actively encouraged his followers to invade the Capitol on January 6th, in an attempt to overturn a free and fair election which led to the death of 7 people and injured hundreds of police. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

That is why Gerry supports the commission investigating the attempted insurrection on January 6th, believing it is imperative for both Democrats and Republicans to set aside politics to address the growing threat to American democracy. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Central to guaranteeing one person equals one vote in this country is finally granting Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico statehood status. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Gerry also supports an amendment to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 that would automatically register eligible voters when they get identification from their State department of motor vehicles, facilitating voter registration and getting voters engaged in the democratic process, as well as legislation that expands the requirements for campaign finance disclosures for corporations and Super PACs. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Serving Those Who Serve Us

Congressman Connolly is grateful to all of the individuals who serve our nation, and is committed to making sure our government dutifully serves veterans of all backgrounds. Over 80,000 veterans and their families live here in the 11th district of Virginia. When soldiers return from duty, Congressman Connolly is committed to ensuring they have chances to further their education, have reliable access to medical care, and successfully re-enter the civilian community and workforce. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

To this end, Gerry has and continues to support legislation that improves the lives of our veterans, helping pass the Federal Worker Leave Fairness Act to ensure veterans had uninterrupted access to their benefits despite the Covid-19 pandemic. He also helped pass the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017, which increased compensation to veterans who were disabled while in service. He co-sponsored the Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act, which aims to extend and enhance medical services with nursing homecare, and provide special attention to all mental illnesses for combat veterans on active duty. Congressman Connolly is a strong advocate for increased funding to and oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs in an effort to guarantee our veterans receive the best care possible in an effective and timely manner. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Giving back to our veterans and their families has always been a top priority for the Congressman. He helped pass the Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act, which guarantees the immediate payment of benefits to families of those who pass away in the line of duty, as well passing legislation to establish a Military-Civilian Task Force on Domestic Violence to address instances of domestic violence within the military. His efforts and actions have gotten him recognized by Our Military Kids, who awarded him with the “Friend of Military Kids” award for his work on behalf of military families. Gerry has consistently received a perfect score from our Military Officers Association of America. Congressman Connolly will not stop here, and continues to be an advocate for our veterans, fighting for the brave people that honorably serve our country. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Endorsements:
Planned Parenthood
National Organization of Woman, PAC
Sierra Club
Virginia AFL-CIO
Brady Campaign
Eileen Filler-Corn, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
Dick Saslaw, Majority Leader Virginia State Senate
Jennifer Carroll Foy, Delegate
Delegate Elizabeth Guzman
Delegate Hala Ayala
Delegate Kathy Tran
Delegate Dan Helmer
Delegate Ibrareem Samirah
Senator Dave Marsden
Senator Scott Surovell
Fairfax County Chairman Jeff McKay
Steve Descano, Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney
Supervisor Dalia Palchik
Supervisor James Walkinshaw
Prince William County Board Chair Ann Wheeler
Supervisor Andrea Bailey
Supervisor Kenny Boddye
School Board At-Large Member Rachna Sizemore Heizer
School Board Member Karl Frisch
Dr. Babur Lateef, Prince William County School Board Chair (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Education: 
Gerry received a B.A. in Literature from Maryknoll College in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and an M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1979. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Relevant Employment History: Refused to answer.

Military Experience / Branch / Years of Service / Rank / Type of Discharge: Refused to answer. 

Past Offices Held and Tenure:

Congressman Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly has been representing the 11th Congressional District of Virginia in Congress since 2008. Gerry is serving his seventh term in Congress, and is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Government Operations. Congressman Connolly also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, as well as on the Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Congressman Connolly currently serves as the President of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA), where he guides their international security agenda and is focused on strengthening US commitment to the transatlantic alliance. He was elected President of the Freshman class by his colleagues. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Gerry’s career as a public official began on March 28, 1995 when he was elected Providence District Supervisor on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which he served as for nine years. In 2003, he was elected Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and was reelected in 2007. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

He served as Chairman of the County’s Legislative Committee and Vice-Chair of the Economic Advisory Committee, as well as Chairman of the Board of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), Chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), and Chairman of the region’s Emergency Preparedness Taskforce. Gerry represented Fairfax County on the Board of the Virginia Association of Counties (VaCo) where he also served as president. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Community Service: Mantua Citizens Association (MCA) president and his two terms as president of the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Leadership Experience: See bio information above. 

Personal Strengths: Refused to answer.

What is the most important thing Virginians need to know about you?  Refused to answer.

How would your friends and family describe you? Refused to answer.
 

What are your thoughts on the Constitution as the Law of the Land? No mention of the Constitution on website.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on religious liberty? No mention of the protection of faith or religious liberty on website.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on the preservation of our history? No mention of the preservation of history on website.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thought on government transparency? No mention of government transparency on website.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on national defense? No mention of national defense on website.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Regarding veterans: Congressman Connolly is grateful to all of the individuals who serve our nation, and is committed to making sure our government dutifully serves veterans of all backgrounds. Over 80,000 veterans and their families live here in the 11th district of Virginia. When soldiers return from duty, Congressman Connolly is committed to ensuring they have chances to further their education, have reliable access to medical care, and successfully re-enter the civilian community and workforce. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

To this end, Gerry has and continues to support legislation that improves the lives of our veterans, helping pass the Federal Worker Leave Fairness Act to ensure veterans had uninterrupted access to their benefits despite the Covid-19 pandemic. He also helped pass the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2017, which increased compensation to veterans who were disabled while in service. He co-sponsored the Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act, which aims to extend and enhance medical services with nursing homecare, and provide special attention to all mental illnesses for combat veterans on active duty. Congressman Connolly is a strong advocate for increased funding to and oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs in an effort to guarantee our veterans receive the best care possible in an effective and timely manner. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Giving back to our veterans and their families has always been a top priority for the Congressman. He helped pass the Families of Fallen Servicemembers Act, which guarantees the immediate payment of benefits to families of those who pass away in the line of duty, as well passing legislation to establish a Military-Civilian Task Force on Domestic Violence to address instances of domestic violence within the military. His efforts and actions have gotten him recognized by Our Military Kids, who awarded him with the “Friend of Military Kids” award for his work on behalf of military families. Gerry has consistently received a perfect score from our Military Officers Association of America. Congressman Connolly will not stop here, and continues to be an advocate for our veterans, fighting for the brave people that honorably serve our country. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on the free enterprise system? No mention of the free enterprise system on website. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on the protection of the unborn? Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

The greatest priority for Congressman Connolly is passing a law that codifies the protections of Roe v. Wade, and the right for women to make choices about their own body. He has led the fight to overturn the Hyde Amendment and allow federal funding for abortion, has fought to stop the government from trying to pry their way into the personal business of a woman and her doctor, and defended Planned Parenthood and the breadth of indispensable services they provide from continuous Republicans political attacks and attempts to defund them. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

He is proud that his advocacy for female and reproductive rights has gained him the endorsements of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the National Organization for Women PAC, as well as an 100% voting record from NARAL. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)   

What are your thoughts on the role the family plays in America? No mention of protection of the family on website. Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity, as opposed to equal outcomes? Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

What are your thoughts on the 2nd Amendment? Congressman Connolly is proud of his endorsement from the Brady Campaign and Gun Sense Voter, and of his “F” rating from the NRA, which is headquartered in Fairfax and where he frequently joins the community to demonstrate, hold vigils, and protests. (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

Professes values contrary to values and beliefs of Chasing Freedom – Virginia.  (Source: https://gerryconnolly.com/)

 
Additional sources of information on this candidate:

United States House of Representatives (https://clerk.house.gov/)

Committee Assignments and Recent Votes (https://clerk.house.gov/members/C001078)

Congressional records Page (https://www.congress.gov/member/gerald-connolly/C001078?s=4&r=455)

Official Biography. (https://connolly.house.gov/biography/)