James Walkinshaw

ON THE ISSUES

• Committed to addressing the climate crisis and making Fairfax County carbon neutral
• Will support bold federal investments in clean energy innovation, energy efficiency, and electrification
• Committed to strengthening protections for clean air and water and accelerating restoration of the Chesapeake Bay

WHY THIS RACE MATTERS

• Open seat formerly held by the late Representative Gerry Connolly
• Holding this open seat in Virginia will help win a pro-environmental majority in the House, making it easier to pass climate legislation at the federal level

CANDIDATE BACKGROUND

James Walkinshaw is running to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. James Walkinshaw was born and raised in Northern Virginia and has devoted his career to ensuring that our community remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. 

James Walkinshaw was Congressman Gerry Connolly’s Chief of Staff during Donald Trump’s first term and knows what it takes to fight Trump and win. During more than a decade of service as Chief of Staff to Congressman Gerry Connolly, James oversaw all aspects of the Congressman’s office and served as his chief adviser on a host of issues, working closely with state and local officials. He worked alongside Congressman Connolly to pass the Affordable Care Act, fight climate change, secure federal funding for Fairfax, and deliver for federal employees.

Since his election to the Board of Supervisors in 2019, James has focused on solving everyday problems for the communities he represents and making real progress on issues that matter. He serves as Chair of both the Board of Supervisors’ Legislative Committee and Environmental Committee, where he leads Fairfax County’s efforts to address Richmond’s underfunding of public education and to address climate change. He also leads the Fairfax County-City of Fairfax interjurisdictional committee, where he has built new partnerships between the county and city, benefiting residents of both. As Chair of the VRE Operations Board, he worked to expand rail service and institute VRE’s first-ever Saturday service. He currently serves as Chair of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, our region’s federally-designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, where he is leading the development of our region’s transportation plan.

As Chair of the Board’s Environmental Committee, he has led efforts to transition County buildings to solar energy, convert the vehicle fleet to electric, and empower residents to reduce their carbon footprint. He spearheaded implementation of Fairfax’s five-cent plastic bag fee, which has already raised millions to support litter prevention while dramatically reducing plastic pollution. He is also leading the County’s Zero Waste initiative to reduce landfill waste and make sustainability a core principle of local government.

In Congress, James will support bold federal investments in clean energy innovation, energy efficiency, and electrification. He’ll also fight to strengthen protections for clean air and water and accelerate restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.