U.S. Rep. James R. Walkinshaw, a Democrat representing Virginia's 11th Congressional District, is running for a full term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The district includes Reston.

Walkinshaw is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. He faces Republican Arthur G. Purves and Green Party candidate Dianne L. Blais.

Candidate information

  • Name: James R. Walkinshaw
  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia's 11th Congressional District
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in politics, New York University, 2005
  • Hometown: Walkinshaw said he grew up in Prince William County, according to his campaign website

Experience and public service

Walkinshaw has served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 11th Congressional District since Sept. 10, 2025, according to his official congressional biography. Before that, he served as Braddock District supervisor on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 2020 to September 2025.

His congressional biography also lists him as founder and co-chair of the Congressional Federal Workforce Caucus. He chaired the Virginia Railway Express Operations Board in 2023 and the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board.

Before holding elected office, Walkinshaw served as chief of staff in the office of Rep. Gerald Connolly in 2009, according to his official biography. He also worked as campaign manager for Hurst for Congress in 2006, Connolly for Chairman in 2007 and Gerry Connolly for Congress in 2008, according to BallotReady.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Walkinshaw's campaign website and official congressional pages. They reflect the candidate's own stated views.

Federal workforce: Walkinshaw said he founded the Congressional Federal Workforce Caucus to defend a merit-based civil service. He said he is focused on supporting fair pay, benefits and treatment for federal employees, strengthening oversight of federal procurement and information technology, and holding the administration accountable.

Affordable housing: Walkinshaw said he supports legislation to strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, increase funding for the Housing Trust Fund and incentivize local governments to reform restrictive zoning laws to allow more housing options.

Health care: Walkinshaw said he supports legislation to lower prescription drug prices, expand access to primary and mental health care, and protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act. He said he opposes cuts to NIH, Planned Parenthood and life-saving research, and will defend Medicaid and Medicare against what he called Republican attempts to cut them.

Climate and environment: Walkinshaw said he supports federal investments in clean energy innovation, energy efficiency and electrification. He said he will fight to strengthen protections for clean air and water and accelerate restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. His biography lists him as a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.

Gun safety: Walkinshaw said he supports legislation to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require background checks on all gun sales, close the Charleston loophole and oppose federal concealed carry mandates that override state protections. He said that while on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, he led the effort to pass an ordinance banning guns in county buildings, libraries, recreation centers and parks.

Endorsements

The following endorsement was identified through BallotReady profile data:

  • AFL-CIO

Candidate positions were drawn from responses on Walkinshaw's campaign website and official congressional biography pages. The Reston Review did not conduct interviews for this profile.