President Donald Trump’s policies, particularly job cuts and social issues, are central to the Virginia special election to fill a vacant House seat, with candidates debating their impacts on local voters.
In a special congressional election taking place in northern Virginia, President Donald Trump is a significant presence, despite not being on the ballot. The election, scheduled for Tuesday, will fill the seat left vacant by the late Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly, who passed away in June after a battle with cancer.
The race is primarily between Democratic nominee James Walkinshaw and Republican nominee Stewart Whitson. Key issues dominating the campaign include job cuts implemented by Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), crime and immigration policies, transgender rights, and calls for the release of Justice Department files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Walkinshaw, who serves on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and previously worked as Connolly’s chief of staff, argues that Trump’s controversial agenda will significantly influence the election outcome in Virginia’s left-leaning 11th Congressional District. He stated that many voters in the area have been directly affected by the job cuts and layoffs associated with DOGE.
“Folks in Northern Virginia and Fairfax are feeling the impact of the Trump policies,” Walkinshaw said on the eve of the election. “Everybody in Fairfax knows someone who has lost their job because of DOGE or the Trump policies.” He emphasized that the district is experiencing the effects of these policies firsthand, which he believes will resonate with voters.
Whitson, an Army veteran and former FBI special agent, counters that Walkinshaw’s focus on opposing Trump is misguided. He argues that voters need solutions rather than empathy for those who have lost jobs. “The people in our district who have lost their job or who are worried about losing their job, they don’t need empathy. They need solutions,” Whitson said.
While Trump is not particularly popular in the district—having garnered only 31% of the vote in his re-election bid—Whitson maintains that Trump’s policies are rooted in common sense. He criticized Democrats for what he describes as “radical left” policies that are out of touch with the needs of the community.
Whitson also addressed the contentious issue of transgender rights in schools, asserting that he believes it is a civil right for girls to have access to safe spaces. “My opponent believes it is a civil right for men who identify as girls or women to go into our girls’ locker rooms and watch them change,” he charged. “I think this is all backwards.” He emphasized the importance of ensuring safety for all children in public facilities.
In response, Walkinshaw accused Whitson of fixating on a small percentage of students while neglecting the broader educational needs of all children in the district. “What I hear from folks in our community, and what I’m focused on, is how 100% of our kids can succeed in the classrooms,” he stated.
As the campaign progresses, Whitson has attempted to link Walkinshaw to Zohran Mamdani, a socialist candidate who recently won the Democratic mayoral nomination in New York City. “This is someone who has a history of supporting a lot of the exact same type of policies that Mamdani is supporting,” Whitson claimed, urging voters to consider the implications of such associations.
Walkinshaw dismissed the comparison, stating that voters in the 11th District are primarily concerned with local issues rather than political events in New York City. “Not a single voter has asked me about the New York mayor’s election,” he said. “I care what happens to folks right here in the 11th District.”
Another significant topic in the election is the push for the Justice Department to release files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. Walkinshaw noted that this issue resonates across the political spectrum, with many voters questioning whether there has been a cover-up regarding the files during the Biden administration.
If elected, Walkinshaw has pledged to sign a discharge petition led by Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California and Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, which calls for the release of Epstein-related documents. “I absolutely will sign it,” he affirmed. “I think the American people deserve to know.” He expressed a desire to uncover any potential cover-ups by the Trump administration.
Whitson, however, criticized Walkinshaw for being late to address the issue, asserting that he had called for full disclosure of the Epstein files months ago. He accused Walkinshaw of politicizing the matter for personal gain, stating, “How long has this case been going on, and now he finally wants to reach on those records?”
The outcome of this special election could have significant implications for the balance of power in the House of Representatives, where Republicans currently hold a slim majority. With three Democratic seats vacant and one held by the GOP, a victory for Walkinshaw would further narrow the Republican majority in a district that has not elected a Republican in nearly two decades.
As voters prepare to cast their ballots, the impact of Trump’s policies and the candidates’ differing visions for the future of the district remain at the forefront of this critical election.
Source: Original article