The Democratic congressional members are dropping like flies during this second Trump administration. The stress has to be part of it. Another one, this time Gerald Connolly of Virginia just died.

Representative Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia, a nine-term congressman who was the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, died on Wednesday, his family said in a statement. He was 75.

Mr. Connolly died at his home surrounded by his family, the statement said. It did not give a cause of death. Mr. Connolly had announced in 2024 that he was being treated for cancer of the esophagus.

In April, he announced that his cancer had returned and that he would not seek re-election in 2026. He also said he would soon relinquish his spot on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

This isn't helpful when we have such a slim margin; the gap keeps growing. There is a Republican governor in Virginia so we'll have to see what stunts he pulls to try to delay the special election to replace Connolly. In Texas, Abbott waited until after the deadline for a spring election to name the election for a deceased Houston congressman. I suspect either way it will happen in November for both of those seats, and chances are good they'll be filled with Democrats, but for now, there are several gaps in the Democratic house roster.