John,

I'm James Walkinshaw — a proud husband, father, lifelong Virginian, and the Democratic nominee for the special election in Virginia's 11th District.

This campaign is personal to me — and it's personal for Democrats across the country. Because this is our first chance to elect a new Democrat to Congress since Trump forced through his cruel budget.

And my opponent? He's the man who wrote their DOGE policy.

I was raised in Northern Virginia by a nurse and a plumber who taught me to work hard, do the right thing, and never back down from a bully. That's what I carried with me when I served as Congressman Gerry Connolly's Chief of Staff, and what I carried when I flipped a Republican seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Since then, I've:

• Banned guns from libraries and rec centers,
• Defended abortion rights after Roe fell,
• Funded record teacher pay raises,
• Delivered real climate action — from solar power to cutting plastic waste.

Now I'm stepping up to keep this seat blue and stop Trump's DOGE cheerleader from taking his extremist agenda to Congress. But I can't do it without you.

Will you split a donation today between my campaign and Democracy Defense Action to make sure we have the resources to win on September 9?

Thank you for believing in this fight,

— James Walkinshaw