Representative Donald McEachin, Virginia Democrat, Dies - The New York Times

Politics|Representative Donald McEachin, Virginia Democrat, Dies

WASHINGTON — Representative A. Donald McEachin, Democrat of Virginia, died connected Monday aft a conflict with colorectal cancer, his bureau said.

“Valiantly, for years now, we person watched him combat and triumph implicit the secondary effects of his colorectal crab from 2013,” Tara Rountree, the main of unit for Mr. McEachin, said in a statement shared connected societal media. “Tonight, helium mislaid that battle.”

Mr. McEachin, 61, had represented Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District, which encompasses Richmond and a confederate portion of the state, since 2017, and had been overwhelmingly re-elected this month. His bureau said connected Monday that it would stay unfastened until a caller typical had been chosen.

Mr. McEachin, the lad of a public-school teacher and an Army veteran, was a subordinate of the House Committee connected Energy and Commerce and the Committee connected Natural Resources, according to his House biography. While successful Congress, Mr. McEachin, a erstwhile authorities legislator and lawyer, pushed for authorities to code the effects of clime alteration and championed different Democratic priorities similar addressing weapon unit and ensuring entree to wellness care.

His decease leaves his party’s constrictive House bulk adjacent thinner arsenic Democrats embark connected a last propulsion to beforehand their priorities successful the lame-duck league earlier handing implicit powerfulness to the Republicans successful January.

But connected Monday night, lawmakers reflected connected Mr. McEachin’s idiosyncratic qualities. In the Virginia delegation, respective of his colleagues mentioned their relationship with Mr. McEachin and his wife, Colette.

“Had it not been for Donald, I would not beryllium successful Congress today,” Representative Jennifer Wexton, Democrat of Virginia, said in a statement, noting that helium had encouraged her to question bureau earlier the 2018 election. “For his words of inspiration and content successful me, I americium everlastingly grateful.”

Representative Robert C. Scott, Democrat of Virginia, described Mr. McEachin arsenic a “thoughtful and principled legislator.”

Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, said successful a connection connected Monday that the 2 families often “bonded implicit stories and laughs astir our communal challenges raising families with 3 strong-willed daughters,” portion Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, called him “a gentle giant, a compassionate champion for underdogs, a clime warrior, a Christian example, an knowing dad, a arrogant husband, a loyal brother.”