Virginia’s 11th district, a deeply blue area, is expected to welcome another Democratic representative following the passing of longtime congressman Gerry Connolly. Governor Glenn Youngkin has set a special election for September 9, filling the void left by Connolly’s death on May 21. The district, located in northern Virginia, has historically shown strong support for Democratic candidates, and the election is likely to result in a Democratic victory.
Connolly, who faced a battle with esophageal cancer, announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection to the House. His former aide, James Walkinshaw, was endorsed by the Virginian, but the field of candidates for the seat remains competitive, with five other Democrats and two Republicans vying for the position. The special election is part of a trend of states holding similar events to replace lawmakers who have passed away in office, with Texas and Arizona also scheduling special elections to fill vacancies left by the deaths of Democratic representatives.
The timing of these special elections has sparked some political debate, particularly in Texas, where the Republican governor, Greg Abbott, faced criticism for setting the special date for November 4, which was delayed for over a month. Arizona, in contrast, has followed a more traditional scheduling process, with the governor, Katie Hobbs, setting the date for September 23 after the death of Rep. Raúl Grijalva in March. The varying processes for determining special election dates highlights the complexity and regional differences in handling such vacancies.