(The Center Square) – James Walkinshaw won Tuesday’s special election in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, defeating Republican Stewart Whitson.
The election filled the seat of the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who represented the district for 16 years before his death in May.
Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff and a Fairfax County supervisor, campaigned on reducing gun violence, expanding affordable housing and protecting federal employees.
Whitson, an Army veteran and former FBI staffer, ran on cutting federal spending, strengthening border security and opposing what he called “radical woke” policies in schools.
The Associated Press called the race at 7:36 p.m., with unofficial results showing Walkinshaw winning 107,959 votes, or 74.9%, to Whitson’s 36,123 votes or 25.1%.
According to the Fairfax County Office of Elections, 8.5% of registered voters cast ballots in person on Tuesday. Early voting, including absentee by mail, accounted for 10.9% of registered voters before polls opened on Election Day.
Virginia’s 11th District has been reliably Democratic. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris carried it with 65% of the vote over Donald Trump, and Connolly won reelection with nearly the same margin, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Walkinshaw will serve the remainder of Connolly’s term through January 2027 and is expected to run again next year.
Walkinshaw framed the election as a rejection of President Donald Trump’s policies and called on voters to stay engaged ahead of the November election and 2026 midterms.
“This is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump’s reckless agenda,” Walkinshaw said in his Tuesday night victory speech. “This administration is the most corrupt in American history. 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.”
He warned that Republican-backed policies would raise costs and gut protections for working families.
“The so-called Big Beautiful Bill will strip health care from millions, raise utility bills, and explode the national debt,” he said.
Walkinshaw said he would show up to work the next morning focused on housing, health care and affordability.
“I will fight every day to lower the costs that keep families up at night,” he said. “That means tackling sky-high housing costs, lowering prescription drug prices, and making child care and senior care more affordable.”
He ended by urging voters to continue organizing ahead of the gubernatorial election in November.
“If we work together across our Commonwealth and across our nation, we will prove once again that democracy is stronger than demagogues and hope is stronger than hate.”
Whitson conceded in a post on Tuesday night, saying he was proud of the campaign and grateful to supporters.
“While tonight’s outcome was not what we hoped for, I could not be more proud of the campaign we ran and the movement we built together,” Whitson said. “From day one, this campaign was about service, giving the people of Northern Virginia a voice, and fighting for the change our community deserves.”
He congratulated Walkinshaw and thanked voters and volunteers.
“Democracy is strongest when we all engage, and I am humbled by those who placed their trust in me.”
