Fairfax, VA (AMN-USA) — James Walkinshaw, a longtime public servant and Fairfax County Supervisor, has emerged as the Democratic nominee to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

Walkinshaw captured nearly 60% of the vote in a crowded ten-candidate “firehouse primary” held Saturday, cementing his place as the party’s pick ahead of the September 9 special election. The primary followed the death of Rep. Connolly, who passed away last month after a battle with esophageal cancer.

Before his election to the county board in 2019, Walkinshaw served as Connolly’s chief of staff for over a decade. He received Connolly’s endorsement earlier this year and campaigned to protect democracy, defend freedoms, and support working families.

Walkinshaw will face Republican nominee Stewart Whitson, a U.S. Army veteran and former FBI official. Given the district’s deep blue lean — it favored Democrats by a 34-point margin in the 2024 presidential election — Walkinshaw is widely seen as the frontrunner.