Democrat James Walkinshaw has won the 11th District of the Congress of the Blue Blue de Virginia Congress, NBC News Projects, an expected victory for his party that another Democrat adds to the House of Representatives of narrow divided.
The seat that had been vacant since representative Gerry Connolly, who had esophageal cancer, died in May at age 75. Walkinshaw spent a decade as a superior assistant for Connolly.
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The Democrats will have 213 representatives in the Chamber once Walkinshaw is a jury, while the Republicans have 219 representatives, with three seats still vacancies due to deaths and resignations. Several key votes are closed on the horizon.
Walkinshaw could approach the Democrats and a handful of Republicans to force a vote to release all the archives related to the sentenced sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein. Until last Wednesday, legislators were only two members of being able to force a vote on whether to release the documents.
Government financing will also expire at the end of the month, another source of conflict in Washington.
Walkinshaw faced Republican Stewart Whitson, who served in a main role in a defense group, for the seat on the outskirts of Washington in northern Virginia, which Vice President Kamala Harris took with approximately two thirds of the vote last year.
Walkinshaw was Connolly’s chief chief from 2009 to 2019, and obtained Connolly’s support before he died. Walkinshaw also served at the Fairfax County Supervisors Board since 2020.
“James brings an unparalleled experience, a depth of knowledge on federal issues and a firm commitment to progressive values,” said Connolly in a support promoted by the Walkinshaw campaign. “When I assumed the position in 2009, appointing him in the chief of staff was one of the best decisions I made.”
Walkinshaw leaned into the criticisms of President Donald Trump’s cuts to the Federal Labor Force during his campaign. The district has a particularly high concentration of federal workers.
“Federal employees know that millions of us honor their service and sacrifice,” Walkinshaw wrote in X in August. “I will fight to end Trump’s attacks against our non -partisan civil service and build a government that works for all.”
The most special elections to fill vacant seats in Congress are barrel by the end of this year. The following, for the seat of the late representative Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., It will take place in two weeks, on September 23.
