 In 1896, Democratic Congressman Elisha E. Meredith retired to his legal practice, and voters in Virginia's 8th congressional district elected Rixey to the 55th Congress.Re-elected five times, Rixey served from March 4, 1897, until his death in Washington, D.C. on February 8, 1907 (before the close of the 59th Congress).Although he had been re-elected to the 60th Congress, he died before beginning that term.