Democrats Announce Winner Of 11th District Firehouse Primary

FAIRFAX, VA — Supervisor James Walkinshaw (D-Braddock) won Saturday's Democratic Firehouse Primary to become the party's nominee in the Sept. 9 special election to fill the vacant 11th District congressional seat.

Walkinshaw defeated fellow Democrats Candice Bennett, Dan Lee, Leo Martínez, Amy Papanu, Stella Pekarsky, Amy Roma, and Irene Shin.

After three days of early voting and a long day on Saturday, 37,624 votes were cast, according to the unofficial results. Walkinshaw garnered 22,403 or 59.54 percent of the overall votes, which is the highest-turnout congressional firehouse primary in Virginia history, according to the 11th Congressional District Democrats.

View>>>Democratic Fire House Primary Unofficial Results

In the Sept. 9 special election, Walkinshaw will face former FBI special agent Stewart Whitson, who won the Republican Canvass at Fairfax High School on Saturday, and independent Chandra Tamirisa.

In April, incumbent U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly announced he would not seek reelection in 2026 due to health concerns.

Last November, Connolly revealed that he'd been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was receiving chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment. However, the cancer returned and the congressman's family announced he had died on May 21.

“I’m honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my career serving," Walkinshaw, in a statement, following the release of the unofficial results. "This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families. I’m especially grateful to my wife, Yvette, our son, Mateo, and to the Connolly family — Smitty and Caitlin — for standing with me as we carry Gerry’s legacy forward. The real work begins now, and I’m ready to fight with everything I’ve got.”

Before becoming the Braddock District supervisor, Walkinshaw served as Connolly's chief of staff for more than a decade.

The nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project describes the 11th District as “Strong Democratic.” That, along with Connolly representing the Fairfax area in Congress since 2012, means the Democrats likely have the edge in this race.

“I deeply appreciate the volunteers who sacrificed hundreds of hours to ensure a smooth, fair, and transparent election. Democracy doesn’t just happen — it works because people step up and make it work. I’m incredibly grateful to each of them," he said. "I also want to thank the nine amazing Democrats who stepped up to run. Putting yourself out there to run for office is not easy, and they each brought real strengths to the race."

Walkinshaw received Connolly’s endorsement, as well that of many other current and former elected officials, including the other eight Democrats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Alexandria), U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Fredericksburg), former U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) and Sheriff Stacey Kincaid.

Also See ...

• Stewart Whitson Wins GOP Canvass In 11th District Race
• Democrats, GOP To Choose Candidates For 11th Congressional District Special Election
• VA Congressman To Retire As Cancer Returns Following Treatment

In addition, Walkinshaw had the support of the National Federation of Federal Employees, IAMAW, AFL-CIO, 32BJ SEIU, Virginia State Association of Letter Carriers, Teamsters Local 639, UFCW Local 400, New Democrat Coalition Action Fund, and the Alliance for American Leadership.

The special election will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9, with early voting beginning on July 25.

Below is the official release sent by the 11th Congressional District Democrats just before midnight on Saturday.

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