Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) passed away on Monday.
A statement from his chief of staff dated Nov. 28 notes that the junior congressman lost a battle to cancer.
“We are all devastated at the passing of our boss and friend, Congressman Donald McEachin,” the statement reads. “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.”
The junior Congressman was elected to represent Virginia in 2016 and served on Capitol Hill since 2017, during which he supported SNAP benefits for low-income Americans, advocated for green energy investment, and rallied behind reproductive rights.
McEachin, a lawyer, was a lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP.
In 2008, he received his Master of Divinity from The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.
Before serving in Congress, Rep. McEachin was elected to both chambers of Virginia’s General Assembly.
In a statement released Tuesday, President Joe Biden shared:
I got to know Don after he was elected to Congress in 2016. I will always be grateful for his friendship, and his early and fierce support when I ran for President. Don was a fighter. He fought for justice, for civil rights, and for communities that are often left behind. Thanks to Don’s leadership and tireless advocacy, we passed historic legislation to combat the climate crisis and advance environmental justice.
He is survived by his three adult children and wife, Colette Wallace McEachin, also an attorney, who was the first woman and first Black women ever elected Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Arrangements for Rep. McEachin’s memorial will be announced in the coming days.
