Current Position: U.S. Representative (since January 2009)
Credit: Official photo
Why He Matters
By the time he joined Congress in January 2009, Connolly had accumulated three decades of public service – from the decade he spent as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to his eight years as chairman of Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors. He is now president of the House Democrats’ freshman class.
That Connolly’s northern Virginia district is the wealthiest in the country in terms of median income is not its only particularity. Due to the district’s proximity to Washington, it is home to a large number of federal employees and government contractors. Connolly has prioritized issues relating to the federal workforce; he sits on the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on the Federal Workforce.
He is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of centrist Democrats. In fall 2009, he sought to organize House freshman against the Democratic leadership’s plans to fund health-care reform by taxing the wealthy. Connolly argues for taking action against climate change (he unveiled a plan aimed at curbing greenhouse gases in Fairfax County), and he champions strengthening mass transit, partly to transform suburban Tysons Corner into a denser area.
At a Glance
Current Position: U.S. Representative (since January 2009)
Career History: Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (2004-2008), member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (1995-2003), Fairfax Government Reorganization Commission (1992-1993), staffer on Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (1979-1989)
Birthday: March 30, 1950
Hometown: Mantua, Virginia
Alma Mater: B.A. in Literature from Maryknoll College, Master of Public Administration from Harvard (1979)
Spouse: Cathy Connolly
Religion: Catholic
Committees: Committee on Budget, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
DC Office: 327 Cannon HOB: (202) 202-1492
District Offices: Annandale: (703) 256-3071; Prince William: (703) 670-4989
Email
Web site
Path to Power
Born in Boston, Connolly attended a seminary for six years but drifted away from the priesthood, partly out of his disappointment over the lack of church activism on the Vietnam war. He received a master’s in public administration from Harvard. From 1979 to 1989, he worked for the U.S. Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, where he was seen as a specialist on foreign development aid.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
In 1995, Connolly was elected to Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors. In 2003, he was elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors, thus head of a large jurisdiction with a budget of $4.5 billion. He was re-elected in 2007.
On the board, Connolly focused on expanding mass transit and increasing affordable housing funding; he created an anti-gang task force he credits for a reduction in gang violence; and he partnered with the Sierra Club to propose a plan to fight global warming. He acquired the reputation of having a colorful personality. The Washington Post described him as “a stentorian voice, an arm-twisting consensus builder” who is “prone to bursts of temper” and leads the board “with characteristic dramatic flair.”
As board chairman, Connolly was criticized for being too close to local developers, from which he received substantial donations. One sticking point was his second job while supervisor with Science Applications International Corp., a defense and intelligence contractor. Pointing out SAIC has a lot at stake in Fairfax’s development decisions (for instance in the placement of a new metro station), some questioned the balance of Connolly’s two roles.Connolly responded that SAIC dis no business with the county government.
2008 House Race
In 2008, moderate Rep. Tom Davis (R) announced he would not seek re-election to Virginia’s 11th district, which covers most of Fairfax County. The seat was ripe for Democratic picking; in recent years, northern Virginia had undergone substantial demographic and political transformation, almost single-handedly carrying Democrats to a series of statewide victories.
In the Democratic primary, Connolly faced former Rep. Leslie L. Byrne, a well-known defender of liberal causes who ran with the support of EMILY’s List. The race grew heated, with Byrne charging that Connolly was too cozy with special interests. And while Connolly insisted he had nothing to do with SAIC’s controversial contracts in Iraq, Byrne accused her opponent of hypocrisy – choosing to work for a “war profiteer” while making anti-war statements.
Running as the more centrist and pro-business candidate, Connolly sought to emphasize his progressive credentials. Boosted by The Washington Post and Gov. Tim Kaine’s (D) endorsements, he prevailed with 58 percent of the vote.. In the general election, he faced businessman Keith S. Fimian (R), who was unable to overcome Barack Obama’s coattails and the district’s demographics. Connolly prevailed 55 to 43 percent.
After his victory, Connolly was elected president of House Democrats’ freshman class.
The Issues
Connolly is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of moderate Democratic House members. He was seen as a centrist politician during his tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
In representing Washington D.C.’s suburbs, Connolly must account for the needs of 56,000 federal employees. As such, he focuses on improvements to government’s technological capabilities. He also works to expand telework initiatives to institutionalize employees’ rights to enter into such arrangements. He helped establish a telework program in Fairfax County when he presided over the board of supervisors.
The Economy
In the House, Connolly supported Barack Obama’s stimulus package, as well as legislation permitting bankruptcy judges to restructure mortgages on family homes. When he was still chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Connolly had proposed addressing the foreclosure crisis by having the county buy foreclosed properties to sell them at below-market prices.
In September 2009, Connolly was one of 17 Democrats to oppose extending unemployment benefit by 13 weeks in states with an unemployment rate higher than 8.5 percent. Virginia congressmen were angry that their state would not benefit from the extension since its unemployment rate stood at 6.5 percent.
Connolly is a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier for unions to organize and that is opposed by many business groups. In 2007, he led the board of supervisors in imposing restrictions on where large retail stores may develop in Fairfax; the measure was supported by organized labor.
Connolly is also takes moderate positions on fiscal issues, as evidenced by his opposition to financing health-care reform by raising taxes on the wealthy, as had been proposed by House Democrats’ liberal wing in 2009 (see section on health-care reform).
Health-Care Reform
Connolly would support a public option, but he argues that the a government-run plan isn't an essential part of health-care reform. He has described himself as “agnostic” between a public option and a non-profit co-op, an alternative proposed in fall 2009 by centrist Democratic senators.
Connolly has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to financing, however: He would oppose any bill that taxes the benefits workers receive from their employers. In fact, he has voiced skepticism at any funding for reform based on tax hikes. "I'm not persuaded any sort of tax increase is needed," he said.
In October 2009, The National Journal described him as leading a group of freshmen Democrats in opposition to raising taxes on the wealthy to finance the reform. In July 2009, he had signed a letter arguing such a surcharge would have a “direct negative impact” on the economy and “discourage entrepreneurial activity.”
Connolly also urged President Obama to take a more active role in health-care negotiations, asking him to confront lawmakers, “roll up his sleeves and start cajoling."
Transportation
As chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Connolly advocated the transformation of fast-growing and suburban Tysons Corner into an area with urban characteristics: higher density and a strong public transit network. As such, one of his priorities was promoting the Washington metro’s extension to Dulles International Airport, which would create a new silver line from Falls Church into Fairfax and Loudoun counties.
Connolly has remained a fierce proponent of developing mass transit since joining Congress. In 2009, he introduced federal legislation to study the possibility of extending the Orange, Blue, Yellow and proposed Purple lines.
He argued that this would not only facilitate the mobility of northern Virginians but also promote better development patterns for the region, help the environment and decrease traffic. "Fifty years out, I see Northern Virginia intimately linked with the Metro system so that lots of workers can get to lots of jobs and shops and neighborhoods by rail and transit in ways right now not available to them,” he said.
The Environment
In June 2009, Connolly voted in favor of the Waxman-Markey bill, which sought to curb climate change by developing alternative sources of energy and implementing a cap-and-trade system.
In 2007, he unveiled his own plan to curb fight global warming in Fairfax County. His proposal, which aimed to cut greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2050, stayed clear of regulating business, but it contained incentives for energy conservation and hybrid car ownership. It also allocated money to plant trees and construct greener buildings.
Immigration
In 2007, Connolly rejected Republican calls that Fairfax County actively crack down on illegal immigration, insisting that was a federal responsibility.
He also opposed Prince William County’s moves to cut undocumented immigrants’ access to services and to allow police to check a suspect’s immigration status. "We're not going to demagogue,” he said. “We're not going to essentially roll back the welcome mat. That's not why I ran for office and that isn't who we are."
The Network
As president of House Democrats’ freshman class in the 111th Congress, Connolly has helped organize his classmates into a political force. In fall 2009, for instance, he led a group of freshmen protesting against the House leadership’s plan to pay for health-care reform by taxing the wealthy. In July 2009, he signed onto a letter to that effect written by fellow freshman Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.).
Another legislative network Connolly has joined is the New Democrat Coalition, a group of moderate lawmakers. He has also teamed up with Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) on issues relating to the federal workforce; the two have pushed legislation to improve telework opportunities.
