Long-time Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly passed away unexpectedly this week. He was a fierce advocate for federal workers, a former chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and a frequent guest on The Politics Hour. Former U.S. Representative Tom Davis - and the man who held the 11th congressional district seat before Connolly was elected - shared his memories of the congressman.

Connolly had an outsized impact on Fairfax County, from his work on the Board of Supervisors to representing Virginia's largest county in Congress. Virginia State Sen. Dave Marsden, representing parts of Fairfax County, joined the show to discuss Connolly's legacy. Plus, he talked about the commonwealth's financial future amid massive federal cuts and after the U.S. House passed a huge tax and spending bill. He'll also discussed what might be on the docket for next year's legislative session.

A shooting on Wednesday night in front of the Capital Jewish Museum has many community members concerned. Ward 5 D.C. Councilmember Zachary Parker discussed how the District is keeping the public safe. Plus, we asked him to weigh in on the RFK stadium deal, the mayor's budget proposal, how the city will prepare for President Trump's massive military parade, and World Pride, which starts this week.

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Virginia's primary races are heating up, most notably the lieutenant governor's race. While the Republicans have a presumptive nominee, six Democratic candidates are vying for the post. WAMU's Northern Virginia Reporter Margaret Barthel broke down the lieutenant governor's race, as well as the Democratic candidates for attorney general. She also shared why the governor's race is also being closely watched.

Loudoun County has more data centers than anywhere else in the world, earning the county the nickname "Data Center Alley." Residents and elected officials have recently looked to limit data center construction. The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted in March to eliminate by-right data center development. Vice Chair Michael Turner got behind the mic to explain what this means, how it impacts future development, and why the board felt it was necessary.

Plus, he weighed in on recent investigations into Loudoun County schools and the financial burden of the President visiting his Loudoun County golf club.

Montgomery County appears to be moving forward with a plan to nearly fully fund schools without raising taxes. Council President Kate Stewart explained how it will work and why it's a better solution than hiking the county's income or property tax. Plus, she weighed in on the recent Supreme Court case that looks likely to change school policy around allowing students to opt-out of lessons for religious reasons, as well as how the county is managing increased federal immigration enforcement efforts.

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D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed repealing Initiative 82 earlier this week, reigniting the fight over D.C.'s tipped minimum wage law. But given that voters passed the measure twice, the mayor could have trouble getting support from the D.C. Council. Chairman Phil Mendelson got behind the mic to give his thoughts.

He said overturning Initiative 82 again is politically difficult for the council.

"I have to see where the members are going to be," Mendelson said. "And at the moment, I don't think the members are supporting repeal."

He said he still opposes I-82, but he is going to leave it to Mayor Bowser to take the lead in lobbying his council colleagues.

We also asked about the mayor's proposed deal with the Washington Commanders. The nearly $4 billion deal to build a new football complex as well a large area of development at the RFK stadium, with the city contributing just over a billion dollars. Mendelson has opposed taxpayer funding for such projects in the past. We asked what would sweeten the deal for him and skeptical council colleagues, who ultimately need to approve the deal.

If the agreement gets the green light, the Washington Commanders would depart their Prince George's County home. County leaders have long prepared for the possibility. Prince George's County Council President Edward Burroughs weighed in and tells us what options could be on the table for the site. Developers are already pitching county leaders on what's next.

"I have seen some of the proposals, some of their renderings, and they honestly look a lot better than the stadium, to be quite honest with you," Burroughs said. "And so it's, still in the early stages, but we look forward to working with them."

The Commanders have entered an agreement with Prince George's County to demolish the old stadium within 90 days of the team's first home game at the new site.

In addition, the county also looks likely to lose the new FBI headquarters. Also, we asked him why the closing of Six Flags in Bowie is a big deal, and how the county is planning to make up a $170 million budget shortfall.

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