Congratulations James Walkinshaw

CONGRATULATIONS to James Walkinshaw, the first of our soon-to-be many newly elected Democrats. James crushed his opponent, winning nearly 75% of the record-setting votes cast in the September 9th District 11 Special Election! He was sworn into office just one day after being elected and is already hard at work representing District 11 in Congress.

Thanks to EVERYONE who helped elect Walkinshaw; everyone who wrote postcards, canvassed, made phone calls, donated, and worked at the polls. We look forward to all Walkinshaw will accomplish as our District 11 Representative, and we particularly appreciate his statement that “this is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump’s reckless agenda.” James Walkinshaw will be one piece of the new ending we are creating in Virginia.

Mark J. Rozell, dean of George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, said before the election, “If there’s a really strong Democratic turnout beyond expectations, and the margins vastly exceed even the 2-1 margin that Connolly achieved in his latest cycles, I think that would be very, very telling.” He also said that although Northern Virginia isn’t a barometer for the state at large, both parties would be watching to see whether Walkinshaw’s hopes of greater Democratic turnout materialize, clarifying, “that has the potential to showcase real trouble for the Republicans next year.”

Well, Walkinshaw won 74.8% of the vote to Whitson’s 25%. That is eerily close to a 3:1 margin, which sounds a lot like Rozell's definition of “real trouble” for the GOP. Everyone, let’s make more Good Trouble that helps to bring on the BLUE WAVE this November in Virginia, first, and then, keep swelling till we absolutely drown the GOP in the mid-term elections next year!

Stark and disturbing contrasts exist between the Democratic candidates and their extremist GOP opponents. The results of this November’s election will directly impact the lives of all residents of Virginia. Please make phone calls, canvas, write postcards, write checks if you choose to, and speak up for each of the Democratic candidates this fall. We need strong leadership in Virginia to counteract the disturbingly callous, sometimes dangerous, and always inequitable federal policies that Trump continues to roll out.