Former chief of employees to late Rep. Gerry Connolly wins Democratic nomination for his seat

The previous chief of employees to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly clinched the Democratic nomination to fill Connolly’s seat in a deep-blue Northern Virginia district, in accordance with the native Democratic Occasion.

James Walkinshaw gained with 59.54% of the vote in Saturday’s party-run main, in accordance with outcomes posted by the eleventh Congressional District Democratic Committee of Virginia. He beat a area of 10 candidates that included state Sen. Stella Pekarsky and state Del. Irene Shin within the race for the particular election nomination.

Shin completed in second place with 14.27% of the vote, whereas Pekarsky positioned third with 13.40%, in accordance with the celebration’s tabulation.

Walkinshaw was Connolly’s chief of employees from 2009 to 2019 and has served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020. Walkinshaw earned an endorsement from Connolly for this race earlier than he died.

He ran a marketing campaign centered on stopping Trump’s “harmful” agenda, saying he would battle to guard the district’s greater than 50,000 federal employees.

“I’m honored & humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my profession serving,” Walkinshaw stated on X. “This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who consider in defending our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working households.”

The race drew some exterior spending, with Walkinshaw receiving over $2.4 million in help from Combat for Virginia’s Future and Shield Progress. Save Democracy PAC spent over $160,000 supporting Pekarsky, and Folks Over Monopolies spent nearly $184,000 supporting Shin.

Combat for Virginia’s Future additionally spent cash on adverse adverts and robocalls criticizing Pekarsky for supporting a invoice that will maintain a referendum on a on line casino in Fairfax County.

Walkinshaw will advance to the September particular election, the place he’s the doubtless favourite to win, as then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by 34 proportion factors in 2024. He’ll face Republican Stewart Whitson, an Military veteran and former FBI official.