Before his passing last month, Virginia Representative Jerry Connolly endorsed his former Chief of Staff, James Walkinshaw, to succeed him in Congress. Now, weeks after Connolly’s death, his social media accounts have shared a post that encourages Walkinshaw’s campaign.
The message read, “Voting starts today at VA-11! Jerry would have backed @JamesWalkinshaw to carry on his legacy. Vote for the leadership that supports us every day.” It directed followers to Walkinshaw’s campaign website and included images of the two men together.
The social media bio mentions that all posts are made with the consent of Connolly’s family, who sadly lost him on May 21.
Also, there’s a link in the account to Connolly’s official website, which emphasizes his backing for Walkinshaw’s candidacy.
Walkinshaw’s announcement was shared on Facebook, marked as Connolly’s campaign page. He wrote, “Early voting for VA-11 kicks off today! This is our chance to defend our workers, schools, and democracy—everything Jerry stood for. He believed in James Walkinshaw and knew James would always fight for us.”
A special election to fill the seat in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District is scheduled for September 9, with the Democratic nomination process happening this week.
Just before promoting Walkinshaw’s campaign, the last post from Connolly’s accounts was a statement from his family confirming his death on May 21.
Connolly had recently announced that he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer after winning reelection in November, and later shared that, despite initial progress, the cancer had returned.
He had served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2009.
