1. The 11th district is situated in the suburbs of Washington, DC It is anchored in the affluent Fairfax County, where Gerry Connolly served on the county's board of supervisors before his election to Congress, and includes all of Fairfax City and part of Prince William County.
Gerry Connolly graduated from Venard High School in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania in 1963.
Gerry Connolly worked from 1979 to 1989 with the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where he managed committee oversight of international economic issues, international narcotics control, and United Nations and Middle East policies, and published reports on US policy in El Salvador, Central America, Israel, and the Persian Gulf region.
Gerry Connolly was Director of Community Relations for SAIC.
In local politics, Gerry Connolly served on the Fairfax Government Reorganization Commission from 1992 to 1993.
Gerry Connolly was elected Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 2003 and reelected in 2007.
Gerry Connolly served as chairman of the county's Legislative Committee and vice-chair of the Economic Advisory Committee.
Gerry Connolly served as chairman of the board of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and was chairman of the board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
Gerry Connolly chaired the region's Emergency Preparedness Taskforce and represented Fairfax County on the board of the Virginia Association of Counties, where he served as president.
Gerry Connolly voted against the Stupak Amendment to the Affordable Care Act, which placed stringent limits on health insurance companies offering abortion services.
Gerry Connolly voted in favor of the articles of the first impeachment of Donald Trump.
Gerry Connolly criticized a Republican-backed bill to rename Dulles International Airport after Trump.
Gerry Connolly has voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, the supplemental appropriations bill that established Cash for Clunkers, and the Cash for Clunkers Extension.
Gerry Connolly has voted against some large spending bills, including the release of $350 billion in bank bailout funds and a $154 billion spending bill because of concerns these would add to the federal deficit.
Gerry Connolly was a cosponsor of pay-as-you-go budget legislation that was signed into law in February 2010.
In May 2011, Gerry Connolly voted to increase the debt ceiling, but the measure failed by a significant margin.
Gerry Connolly was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.
Gerry Connolly voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, saying it would strengthen national security while spurring innovation in the energy industry.
Gerry Connolly is one of the 35 congressmen who founded the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.
In Congress, Gerry Connolly signed on to a measure that would have closed the gun show loophole by requiring that private sellers of firearms at gun shows engage in the same background check and reporting requirements as registered firearms dealers.
Gerry Connolly opposes allowing concealed weapons in schools and on college campuses.
In November 2011, Gerry Connolly voted against the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act, which would have exempted non-residents of states that prohibit concealed weapons from those restrictions.
Gerry Connolly voted against the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, and in 2010 for the America's Affordable Health Choices Act.
Gerry Connolly cited deficit reduction in explaining his health care vote.
Gerry Connolly was a cosponsor of the Helping Active Duty Deployed Act and the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act.
Gerry Connolly voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Gerry Connolly voted in favor of three military aid package supplementals for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan respectively in April 2024, along with most Democrats.
Gerry Connolly then defeated Republican nominee Keith Fimian by more than ten points for the open seat held by Republican incumbent Tom Davis.
Gerry Connolly faced Republican challenger, US Army veteran Jeff Dove and Libertarian Stevan Porter in the 2018 election.
Gerry Connolly faced a progressive primary challenger, Zainab Mohsini, ahead of the general election, his first primary challenger.
Gerry Connolly faced Republican challenger, retired administrative law judge Jim Myles in the 2022 election.
Gerry Connolly is a company member of The Providence Players of Fairfax, a community theatre in Fairfax County, having acted in several of their shows.
In 2004, Gerry Connolly was charged with "a misdemeanor count of hit and run" after causing an estimated $500 worth of property damage to a 2003 Ford Explorer and Gerry Connolly's 2003 Toyota Camry.
Judge Craig Johnston later dismissed the misdemeanor charge against Gerry Connolly, saying Gerry Connolly's "position and his duties have caused him to be oblivious to what is going on in his car".
On May 15,2023, two of Gerry Connolly's staffers were injured with a baseball bat when a man walked into his Fairfax, Virginia, office and attacked them.
Gerry Connolly was not in the office at the time of the attack.
In November 2024, shortly after being reelected, Gerry Connolly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer after experiencing slight stomach pain.