Who's running in Virginia's 11th congressional district
3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
3 candidates · ballot order · James Walkinshaw currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Protecting federal workers, who make up much of the district's workforce.
Constituent services and local government delivery, drawn from his supervisor and chief-of-staff work.
Abortion rights.
Transit and infrastructure investment in Northern Virginia.
Congressional oversight of the executive branch.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 11th District since September 2025; elected in the special election with 75.1% against Republican Stewart Whitson.
Member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors before Congress; chief of staff to Rep. Gerry Connolly for a decade before that.
Won the June 2025 special Democratic primary with 59% against Irene Shin and Stella Pekarsky.
Won the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed after Bree Fram and Amy Roma withdrew.
Arguments in favor
He has both Virginia senators, Governor Abigail Spanberger, Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi, two state senators and five delegates behind him, along with the federal employees' union AFGE, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and J Street PAC.
— Endorsements from the officials and organisations named
He won the September 2025 special election by roughly fifty points — a leftward shift on the district's 2024 result — and the two Democrats who had considered running against him this year both withdrew.
— September 2025 special election results; the withdrawal of Bree Fram and Amy Roma
Arguments against
His rivals in the 2025 special primary argued the process favoured him unfairly: as Connolly's endorsed successor and chief of staff he entered as the clear frontrunner, and Virginia Scope reported concerns that the compressed nomination both favoured the establishment candidate and limited voter access.
— Rival candidates in the 2025 special Democratic primary, reported by Virginia Scope
What we couldn’t verify
The only substantive criticism found is from the 2025 special primary and concerns the nomination process rather than his record. Searches covered NRCC materials, his name against criticism, opponent and voting-record terms, a 2026 primary challenger, and ARLnow, InsideNoVa, the Virginia Mercury and Virginia Scope.
No criticism of Walkinshaw by name from Arthur Purves, Dianne Blais or the National Republican Congressional Committee could be found; neither opponent names him on their campaign site.
He has served barely a year, so there is little voting record for either side to argue from.
Cutting federal spending by reducing chronic disease, which he attributes to ultra-processed food, rather than by cutting programmes.
School reform: phonics-based reading instruction, vouchers and the Ten Commandments in public schools.
Defending fossil fuels and opposing carbon credit schemes.
Restricting mail-in voting and stricter immigration vetting.
Restricting abortion except where needed to save the mother's life.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Retired computer programmer with degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
President of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance for twenty-nine years.
Has run in seven general elections: school board in 1995 and 2003, county chairman as an independent in 1999, delegate in 2007, county chairman as a Republican in 2015, state senate in 2019 and county chairman again in 2023.
Won the August 4, 2026 Republican primary after Gavin Solomon withdrew.
Reported $5,637 raised with $200 on hand.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
Twenty-nine years as president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance give him a longer public record on the county's tax and budget questions than most candidates bring, and he was the Republican nominee unopposed after his only rival withdrew.
— His record at the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance; August 2026 primary
Arguments against
He reported $5,637 raised with $200 on hand in a district Walkinshaw carried by about fifty points in the 2025 special election, and this is his eighth run for office without a win.
— Federal Election Commission filings; September 2025 special election result; his own electoral record
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Purves by name in this race could be found — not from James Walkinshaw or his campaign, not from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and not in Fairfax news coverage — and no published case for him beyond his own campaign site and the state party's announcement of nominees. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either, rather than showing his own campaign's case unanswered.
He reported $5,637 raised in a district Walkinshaw carried by fifty points in the 2025 special election, and this is his eighth run for office without a win.
His campaign site refers to "tax-and-spend incumbents" but does not name the incumbent here.
Participatory democracy and ballot access for smaller parties.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
A member of the Green Party since 2014; active with the Fairfax County Greens.
Ran for this district as the Green Party candidate in 2020.
Green Party nominee for the 11th District in 2026.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Blais by name could be found and no published case for her beyond her own campaign site and Green Party material. As a minor-party candidate she has drawn very little coverage. Because no case against her exists on the record, none is presented for her either.
Her campaign site lists policy headings without populated content, so her detailed positions could not be established.
No fundraising figures or endorsements beyond the party nomination were found.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Virginia held its primaries on August 4, 2026. Three candidates appear on the November ballot: Democratic incumbent James Walkinshaw, Republican Arthur Purves and Green Party candidate Dianne Blais. The roster is confirmed against the Virginia Department of Elections certified federal candidate list for the November 3, 2026 general election, revised September 8, 2026. The district covers the city of Fairfax and much of Fairfax County. Walkinshaw won a September 2025 special election with 75.1% after the death of Gerry Connolly, and every forecaster rates the seat safe or solid Democratic.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
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Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Virginia Department of Elections.