Gerry Connolly
U.S. Representative, Virginia’s 11th District
Gerry Connolly’s name is almost synonymous with Northern Virginia. He served 14 years on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (including five as chair) and has represented Virginia’s 11th District in Congress since 2009. And, yes, there is that 41-mile trail named for him. “Getting consequential things done is never easy. You’ve got to have the political persistence to make it happen, and I hope I showed that kind of persistence,” Connolly says.
A joint initiative between the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University evaluated the effectiveness of each congressional member during the 117th Congress (2021–2023) in terms of the substantiality of policy proposals and how far bills advanced. Connolly took top billing as the most effective lawmaker in the U.S.
He says he takes a pragmatic approach to solving problems, whether it’s helping to bring Metro’s Silver Line to Dulles, developing policies to ensure Tysons’ stormwater gets treated, or building solidarity in NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly. “We have to be able to justify actions in ways that people understand they’re going to benefit,” he says.
“My constituents see me every day. They see me walking. They see me going to a restaurant. They see me picking up Starbucks. They see me dropping off dry cleaning. They see me at events in their communities,” he says. “I think showing up, being visible, connecting with people is really critical to one’s success.”
