RICHMOND – U.S. Rep. Jo Ann
Davis, a Republican who represented
southeastern Virginia for seven years,
died Saturday morning after a two-year
battle with breast cancer, her office
said.
Davis, 57, died at her home in
Gloucester.
Davis was found to have breast
cancer in 2005 and had a recurrence
this year. Her health took a turn for
the worse during the past week, her
office said.
She became Virginia’s first Republican
woman elected to Congress in
2000, and she was a member of the
House Armed Services Committee and
the Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Her determination to fight the
disease is an inspiration to all of us,”
President Bush said in a statement.
“She was a fine example of a
public servant who worked hard to
cut government waste to ensure the
people’s money was used wisely,” Bush
said. “Her common-sense values will
be missed on Capitol Hill.”
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat,
will schedule a special election,
probably before the end of the year,
to fill the remaining year of Davis’
term, Kaine spokeswoman Delacey
Skinner said.