James Walkinshaw defeated Republican Stewart Whitson to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in a special election held Tuesday. The seat was vacated by Gerry Connolly, who died on May 21.
Walkinshaw served as Connolly’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2019. Before he died, Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw for his Congressional seat in a letter.
“Serving the people of Virginia’s 11th District has been the honor of my life. As I step away from Congress, I do so with hope — because I know James Walkinshaw is ready to carry the torch forward. James was my Chief of Staff, my partner in progress, and one of the most capable and principled public servants I’ve ever worked alongside,” Connolly wrote.
Walkinshaw served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020, representing the Braddock District. In an email to his constituents on September 10, he said he would resign from his post to take his new role in Congress.
“Because I expect to be sworn in to the House of Representatives immediately, I have submitted my resignation to the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors effective at 9 a.m. today, September 10. Moving forward, the Board of Supervisors will request that the Fairfax Circuit Court establish a date for a special election to fill the vacancy created by my resignation,” he wrote.
Feature image courtesy James Walkinshaw
