Who is James Walkinshaw? Meet VA's newest House representative

VA special election: Walkinshaw wins 11th Congressional District

Democrat James Walkinshaw won the Virginia special election to fill the 11th Congressional District seat left open by late Rep. Gerry Connolly. He spoke with FOX 5's Jim Lokay tonight.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA. - Democrat James Walkinshaw has won a special election to represent Virginia's 11th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, besting Republican Stewart Whitson, an Army veteran and former FBI agent.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the race to replace the late U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, who died earlier this year. The Associated Press (AP) called the race at 7:36 p.m., with Walkinshaw taking roughly 75% of the vote. 

Democrats reportedly spent about $2.3 million on advertising in the race ahead of the election, according to AdImpact, which tracks campaign ad spending. Republicans reportedly spent nothing. 

‘A steadfast commitment to progressive values’

Dig deeper:

Walkinshaw is a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and previously served as Connolly’s chief of staff. Connolly also endorsed Walkinshaw in the race before he died. 

"James brings unmatched experience, a depth of knowledge about federal issues and a steadfast commitment to progressive values," Connolly said in May. "For more than a decade, he led our office with skill and professionalism and was by my side for the toughest fights — passing the Affordable Care Act, opposing extreme Republican policies, ending harmful government shutdowns and standing firm against Trump’s first administration." 

Walkinshaw beat out nine other candidates for the Democratic nomination in June. The firehouse primary, also known as a mass canvass, party canvass or unassembled caucus, saw historic turnout with over 39,000 votes cast, the largest party-run nomination process in the history of the Democratic Party of Virginia. 

The newly-elected representative said he was honored to be elected at a celebration event Tuesday night, where he stood beside Connolly’s wife and daughter. 

"Tonight, northern Virginians have sent a very powerful message: the reckless Trump agenda must come to an end," he said. He also called President Trump's administration "the most corrupt in American history." 

Per the AP, Connolly had been vocal about President Donald Trump's trimming of the federal workforce prior to his death, as it specifically affected VA's 11th District, which includes the state's most populous county, Fairfax. On the campaign trail, Walkinshaw vowed to continue to fight against the White House on this matter. 

"Our community needs a member of Congress committed to fighting anyone who attacks our community and someone with a record of delivering results," Walkinshaw said at a July debate.

Walkinshaw voted against Gov. Glenn Youngkin's policies for public schools which aimed to limit transgender students' access to bathrooms that aligned with their gender identity as a supervisor. He also backed a plan to replace a county party lot with nearly 300 affordable housing units. Additionally, he helped lead a successful effort to replace Fairfax County's gas-powered leaf blowers with electric ones. 

In Congress, Walkinshaw has pledged to protect victims of sexual assault, eliminate partisan gerrymandering and work to ban assault-style weapons. He additionally intends to invest in education, help tackle climate change, protect immigrant rights and more, according to his campaign website. 

What they're saying:

Senator Lamont Bagby, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said that Walkinshaw's "deep Northern Virginia roots and record of service resonated with voters," in a statement. 

"This win shows the energy of Virginians who are ready to stand up to rising prices and federal layoffs caused by Donald Trump’s reckless agenda," he said.

Government shutdown, other VA elections

What's next:

With Walkinshaw's victory, Democrats have trimmed Republicans' narrow majority in the House by one more seat as it gears up to face a looming government shutdown.  Whether the government will in fact shut down is a question that's likely to dominate the chamber's September agenda. 

Plus, in just two months, elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 members of the House of Delegates will be held. 

"Democrats have the clear momentum as we work to elect Abigail Spanberger and the entire Democratic ticket with early voting beginning in just ten days," Sen. Bagby added in his statement.