Walkinshaw wins big in congressional election
James Walkinshaw is heading to Congress after winning a special election Sept. 9 for the 11th District seat formerly held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
In an election that drew national coverage as a harbinger for future Democratic victories, Walkinshaw beat his Republican opponent, Stuart Whitson, with 74.8 percent of the vote.
Walkinshaw, a former chief of staff for Connolly, resigned from his position as the Braddock representative on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, effective 9 a.m. on Sept. 10.
“Northern Virginians have sent a very powerful message: This is the beginning of the end of Donald Trump’s reckless agenda,” Walkinshaw said in an election-night speech to supporters.
“The work ahead of us is urgent,” he said. “Donald Trump continues to violate our Constitution each and every day.”
Related story: Democratic leaders urge voters to support Walkinshaw in the special election
“DOGE has needlessly put thousands of our neighbors out of work, while denigrating their service to our nation,” Walkinshaw said. “Donald Trump’s tariffs are driving up costs for hard-working Virginians, and the so-called ‘big beautiful bill’ will strip healthcare from millions, raise utility bills, and explode the national debt.”
He also criticized Trump’s mass deportation agenda, his pardoning of the criminals who attacked the Capitol, and his failing economic policies that are driving up inflation and unemployment.
“This administration is the most corrupt in American history,” he said. “Donald Trump has turned the Oval Office into a tacky gold-plated showroom for his money-making schemes selling access and special favors to the highest bidders.”
Walkinshaw promised to “fight every day to lower the costs that keep families up at night.” That means tackling sky-high housing costs, lowering prescription drug prices, protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, and making childcare and senior care more affordable.
It is up to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to set a date for Walkinshaw’s swearing in to Congress.
Immediately after the election results, Walkinshaw sent a letter to Johnson stating that he will be at the Capitol at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10, ready to be sworn in. He reminded the speaker that two winners of special elections this year [both Republicans] were sworn in the day after they were elected.
The Fairfax County election to fill the vacant Braddock seat on the Board of Supervisors hasn’t been set yet. It won’t happen until after the Nov. 4 election.
The Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting on Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. to authorize the County Attorney’s Office to petition the Circuit Court, which will then set the date for a special election.
The Democratic candidates are Braddock school board member Rachna Sizemore Heizer, at-large school board member Ilryong Moon (at-large), and Sabrina Mattin, a leader of the Fairfax County Young Democrats. The lone Republican candidate is community activist Ken Balbuena.
Walkinshaw urged the crowd to work to elect Abigail Spanberger governor and other Democratic state leaders in November and elect Democrats to Congress in 2026 – “because that is the only way to end the chaos and begin the hard work of fixing this country.”
This was a well run campaign by soft spoken candidate. 75% win is a clear indication that on issues that matter to working class Americans and especially, Government workers and senior citizens Dems are making a case against the current National leadership.
Gerrymandering is what produced this election result and nearly the same as last election. Complete nonsense on persuasion on national level. Just as gerrymandering has produced the partisan makeup of the US House of Representatives. In the House there are only about 30 districts that are considered competitive (not red not blue but purple). Senate is slightly different as state lines are not redrawn, but the trends are there.
2 things can be true at once. Gerrymandering is detrimental and should be curbed, and this election result isn’t due to gerrymandering. Va-11 is compact, moreso than most other counties in VA, and was if I remember correctly redrawn by a VA Supreme Court appointed special master a few years ago.
25 percent of the citizens of district 11 like what Donald Trump is doing to rid the area of dangerous criminals – removing workers who aren’t allowed to legally work in our country – shrinking our bloated federal workforce – restoring safe restroom- lockerrooms to our public schools .
This statement is unsupported by facts.
Only about 1 in 5 eligible voters voted. So Whitman got like 5% of those eligible to vote.
If the number of eligible voters is equal to the number of citizens, and the actual voters are an unbiased representative sample of the eligible voters, then it would be correct to say that 25% people preferred Whitman.
And then, if and only if, preferring Whitman meant “liking what Donald Trump is doing…” would your statement be correct.
Those are 3 ifs. The first is not a bad assumption to make. The second is definitely a bad assumption to make, one which elections more often than not turn upon. The third, I don’t know. I don’t think so though.
It would be much easier to figure out if people would just vote.
Annandale today – why can’t you admit Democrats are the party of violence? Why can’t you admit Fairfax is now a shithole? Why can’t you admit people are moving out of Fairfax because of imbecile Democrats? Why can’t you admit Wilkenshaw has never accomplished ANYTHING in his pathetic life? Why can’t you admit Fairfax is now a county full of useless Karens and their manservents? That’s why in 2 years- Fairfax will be known as the least desirable place to live in America…glad we left…you dopes have no future…
Yeah. It’s a real shithole. You magats should definitely move away.
Geez, Mark, if you really have moved away, why don’t you invest a little time making your new community better, rather than spewing your bile on a blog about someplace else? I almost feel sorry for you because you seem like a pathetic old man, but that’s a choice you’re making.
Mark, I am envious of your move and hope to get out of here asap myself, but I have children and the wife doesn’t want to move because of the children. Please continue posting here so I can live vicariously through you! When the kids are grown and rates are hopefully lower, I will get out of here and never look back.
Why would you want to “live vicariously” through somebody who apparently hated his life in Ffx Co so much that he moved out? What makes HIS continued presence on this forum do anything positive for YOUR mental welfare? Both you and Mark need to get on with your lives in your respective environments and do something, anything, that enhances your communities. Stop with the useless and negative feedback loops.
I think at this point we have to believe “Mark” is probably someone posting crazy stuff just to get replies. That same person may have decided that Mark needs an ally so hence, “Benjamin” coming to his defense in a very weird way.