WASHINGTON – Democrat James Walkinshaw received the Sept. 9 Virginia particular election to fill late Rep. Gerald Connolly’s seat, shrinking the Republican margin within the U.S. Home of Representatives to 6 seats.
Walkinshaw, who served as Connolly’s chief of workers and is a Fairfax County Supervisor, beat Republican Stewart Whitson, a former FBI Particular Agent and U.S. Military fight veteran. Walkinshaw will now characterize Virginia’s deep-blue eleventh congressional district, which covers most of Fairfax County within the Washington, DC suburbs.
Walkinshaw’s victory signifies that Democrats now maintain 213 seats within the Home whereas Republicans maintain 219 seats. Home Speaker Mike Johnson already confronted difficulties getting laws throughout the end line with a razor skinny GOP majority. Johnson can now solely afford to lose two Republican votes on any given invoice if all Democrats are opposed.
Connolly died at age 75 in Might, after saying that his esophageal most cancers had returned. In December final yr, he secured a spot to be a rating member of the Home Committee on Oversight and Authorities Reform, which has the authority to analyze and maintain the federal authorities accountable. He beat progressive firebrand New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the place. California Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia has since change into the committee minority’s rating member.
Connolly is the third Home Democrat to die because the begin of the 119th Congress in January. Reps. Sylvester Turner of Texas and Raul Grijalva of Arizona handed away in March inside 10 days of one another.
Voters forged their early votes on the New Harvest Park early voting location in Knoxville on August 6, 2025.
Walkinshaw introduced his congressional bid in Might after Connolly stated he wouldn’t search reelection in 2026.
“It is a five-alarm fireplace second for democracy. The 1st step to stopping Trump is securing a giant win for the Virginia Democratic ticket in 2025 and step two is taking again Congress in 2026,” Walkinshaw stated on the time.
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Democrat wins particular election to fill late Rep. Gerald Connolly’s seat