VA-11: Voters pick nominees in Virginia special election to replace Rep. Connolly
Voters in Fairfax County, Virginia, are heading to the polls Saturday to make their picks in a set of crowded, high-velocity primaries to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D) — including a hard-fought race on the Democratic side that will test how growing frustration with the party’s establishment plays out at the ballot box.
Connolly’s death earlier this year opened up the seat representing the deep-blue D.C. suburbs, which are filled with federal employees and contractors who have been hit hard by Trump administration cuts. The liberal bent of Virginia’s 11th Congressional District means that the Democratic nominee is expected to coast to victory in the Sept. 9 special election.
Yet as Democrats are caught in a tailspin over how to push back against President Donald Trump, the party’s weeks-long primary has nonetheless spotlighted a widening ideological and generational rift. Many of the 10 candidates are calling for a shake-up on Capitol Hill, while others — including Connolly’s hand-picked successor — are stressing the need for legislative experience in an off-year special election.
The contest is the party’s first real congressional election since its national losses last November, and additional tensions erupted over the party-run process for this unusually short race.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/06/28/virginia-11th-district-primary-results-election-connolly/
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