Career
Donnelly, of Detroit, Michigan, was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate from Michigan"s 1st congressional district in a contest for a seat in the United States. House in three consecutive elections. He lost all three to Republican Robert H. Clancy in 1926, 1928 and 1930 for the 70th, 71st and 72nd Congresses. He was defeated in the primaries for that seat in 1934 and 1940.
Four years later he was again elected and served from 1945 until his death the following year at the age of sixty.
