Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin Dead At 61

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Rep. Donald McEachin has died at the age of 61, following a nearly decade-long battle with cancer, his chief of staff, Tara Rountree, confirmed in a statement obtained by NBC News on Monday (November 28).

“We are all devastated at the passing of our boss and friend, Congressman Donald McEachin,” Rountree said. “Valiantly, for years now, we have watched him fight and triumph over the secondary effects of his colorectal cancer from 2013. Tonight, he lost that battle, and the people of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District lost a hero who always, always fought for them and put them first.”

McEachin, a Virginia Democrat who was recently elected to a fourth term in Congress representing a district that included Richmond, Chesapeake and Hampton Roads, was a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and the Natural Resources Committee at the time of his death.

McEachin had previously worked as a lawyer and state lawmaker before being initially being elected to Congress in 2016. The 61-year-old won re-election for his fourth term by nearly 30 percentage points in November.

News of McEachin's death comes as votes become crucial for both parties with the Republicans gaining control of the House by a slim margin and the Democrats recently retaining control of the Senate.


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