WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressman A. Donald McEachin, a Virginia Democrat, has died after a battle with colorectal cancer, according to the Associated Press. McEachin was 61. He represented Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, which includes part of Richmond and extends south to the North Carolina border. He was reelected to a fourth term earlier this month.

Senator Mark Warner(D-VA) said McEachin was a fighter that never lost focus.

“Donald and Colette McEachin have been wonderful friends to me and Lisa for more than thirty years. We often bonded over stories and laughs about our mutual challenges raising families with three strong-willed daughters.

“Up until the very end, Don was a fighter. Even though he battled cancer and faced other trials in recent years, he never lost his focus on social and environmental justice. Tonight, Virginia has lost a great leader and I have lost a great friend,” said Warner.