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As Fairfax County laid to rest longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly Tuesday, attention shifted to the fast-moving process of replacing him in Congress 鈥� a decision that rests with Gov. Glenn Youngkin and could reshape the calendar for both parties in the politically vital 11th District.
Connolly, 75, after a resurgence of cancer, just weeks after he would not seek reelection. His passing leaves a vacancy in a district anchored in Fairfax that leans heavily Democratic and is home to tens of thousands of federal workers.
A spokesperson for Youngkin on Tuesday declined to say whether the governor has made a decision on when to schedule a special election. Under , the governor is required to issue a writ of election to fill a vacancy in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, there is no mandated timeline for doing so.
But also stipulates that special elections must be held on a Tuesday and cannot occur within 55 days prior to a general or primary election. With the June 17 primaries approaching, the earliest possible date for the special election would be June 24.
Manisha Singh, chair of the 11th District Democratic Committee, acknowledged the challenges ahead.
鈥淲e do have to juggle a lot of things, and with the primary less than 20 days away, it is a lot,鈥� Singh said in a phone interview Tuesday.
She emphasized that once Youngkin sets the date, her committee鈥檚 job is not to pick a candidate but to oversee a transparent and accessible process. 鈥淥ur committee is just responsible for the process of voting and not dictating who should or should not be filling these shoes.鈥�
State Sen. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said the party is prepared to proceed with urgency.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have a process yet, because (we) didn鈥檛 want to get ahead of the governor鈥檚 announcement,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to encourage a process that offers the most amount of time for voters to be able to cast their vote and the most voters to be able to be engaged.鈥�
Singh echoed that goal, saying the local party鈥檚 plan 鈥渋s to organize our process and move swiftly鈥� while ensuring that 鈥渆verybody 鈥� is going to have a fair and open process, all inclusive.鈥� She added, 鈥淥ur voters will have plenty of opportunity to have their voice heard.鈥�
Democrats are considering a 鈥渇irehouse primary鈥� in July to pick their nominee, assuming a late-summer special election date. The Fairfax County Democratic Committee has already begun voting sites, with plans for at least one per magisterial district.
A handful of candidates have already expressed interest in the Democratic nomination, including: Braddock District Supervisor James Walkinshaw, a former Connolly chief of staff who has received the late congressman鈥檚 endorsement; state Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax; Fairfax Planning Commissioner Candice Bennett; and attorney Amy Roma, a Vienna resident and global energy policy expert.
Singh acknowledged the magnitude of the moment for Democrats in her district after Connolly鈥檚 death.
鈥淚t is a humongous void that we are feeling right now, and it鈥檚 some really big shoes to fill,鈥� she said. But she expressed confidence in the field of contenders. 鈥淲e have some excellent candidates who I am very sure are up to the challenge.鈥�
On the Republican side, Mike Van Meter, who lost to Connolly 67-33% last year, is running again. No other GOP candidate has announced a bid.
Political analyst Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington warned that delays in setting the election date can serve partisan ends.
鈥淥ne of the problems with vacant congressional seats is that some governors use the timing for partisan advantage,鈥� he said. 鈥淒emocrats are very likely to win the seat, and so as long as it remains vacant, that creates a slight advantage for the narrow Republican majority in Congress.鈥�
Farnsworth said governors from both parties have taken advantage of timing in tight political environments. 鈥淭he country would be much better off if we had very firm rules about elections being called as soon as possible when there are vacancies,鈥� he said.
He added that the 11th District鈥檚 deep-blue profile gives Democrats flexibility to nominate a progressive candidate. 鈥淚n Virginia 11, if you have a Democratic nomination in one hand and a pulse on the other, you鈥檙e more or less going to be elected.鈥�
And Singh said Connolly鈥檚 legacy will loom large in the coming campaign. 鈥淔airfax is quite progressive, and Gerry Connolly has always reflected the sentiments of his constituents,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e has never been afraid to stand by his principles and what his district needs.鈥�
鈥淲hat we will need is a leader who, irrespective of where their belief is, is always putting the district before themselves or anything else,鈥� Singh added. 鈥淚 know the voters in the district will do us proud and will make sure Gerry Connolly鈥檚 legacy lives on.鈥�
Connolly鈥檚 career bridged international policy and local governance. Born in Boston, he worked for a decade on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, overseeing issues such as narcotics, global economics, and U.N. affairs. He later moved into the private sector with firms like SRI International and SAIC.
He was first elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1995 and became chair in 2003, leading efforts around smart growth and environmental stewardship. In 2008, Connolly won election to Congress and quickly gained a reputation as a detail-oriented policymaker focused on government accountability.
Last month, he announced his plan to retire, writing, 鈥淲ith pride in what we鈥檝e accomplished together over 30 years, my loving family and staff sustain me. My extended family 鈥� you all have been a joy to serve.鈥�
