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.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who according to Virginia law can call a special election to fill the congressional vacancy, did not share a timeline for the election.

In other words, the stage afforded as ranking member of the House Oversight Committee is suddenly looking a whole lot smaller, and Ocasio-Cortez is remaining publicly and privately noncommittal as speculation swirls about Connolly’s successor.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won't seek to become the Democrats' ranking member on the House Oversight Committee following the retirement of Gerry Connolly

Rep. Gerry Connolly Monday said he will step aside “soon” as ranking Democratic member of the House Oversight Committee due to a setback in his battle with cancer, a move that will leave open ...

(The Hill) — Rep. Gerry Connolly, a fiery Virginia Democrat with decades of experience on Capitol Hill, died Wednesday morning after a short battle with cancer, his family announced. Connolly, 75, was a familiar figure around the halls of the Capitol ...