State Sen. Pekarsky announces run for Congress
Stella Pekarsky, a Democratic state senator, has joined the race to succeed Rep. Gerry Connolly in Virginia’s 11th congressional district.
Connolly, a member of Congress since 2008, announced earlier this year that he won’t run for re-election, citing health reasons.
James Walkinshaw, a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors (Braddock) and a former aide to Connolly, announced his candidacy for the open congressional seat on May 6. Connolly has endorsed Walkinshaw.
Pekarsky represented the Sully District on the Fairfax County School Board before being elected to the Virginia Senate in 2023.
In announcing her candidacy on X, Pekarsky said: “Fairfax needs a fighter to stand up to Donald Trump. He is dismantling our public schools, defying the courts, stripping us of our freedoms, and attacking our federal employees. But I refuse to back down to this criminal in the White House – That’s why I’m running for Congress.”
“Growing up in a working-class immigrant family, affordability and opportunity were the key to our American Dream,” she tweeted. “But it’s becoming impossible to afford living in Trump’s America. We need a progressive champion to fight for housing, education, healthcare, and good-paying jobs.”
Related story: Supervisor Walkinshaw is running for Congress
Pekarsky, a mother of six, was a teacher before being elected to the school board in 2019. In the Virginia Senate, where she represents the Centreville and Chantilly areas, she lists her accomplishments as banning predatory junk fees, expanding access to healthcare, protecting abortion rights, and standing up to MAGA book bans.
She also supported legislation to allow Fairfax County to hold a referendum on a casino in Tysons. That bill was tabled but could come up again next year.
Several more Democrats are expected to vie for Connolly’s seat in Congress. All members of the House of Representatives are up for re-election in the 2026 midterms.
So far, one Republican candidate has emerged in the 11th District – Mike Van Meter, a former FBI agent and current behavior therapist. Van Meter ran against Connolly in 2024, receiving just 33 percent of the vote.
Related story: Rep. Connolly will not seek re-election
