Democrats and Republicans will nominate candidates on Saturday for a special election to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, who represented Fairfax City, Virginia, and much of Fairfax County in Congress.
Once the two parties select their nominees, those candidates will face off on Sep. 9 in a special election with the winner carrying out the remaining one year and three months of Connolly’s unexpired term in the House.
Connolly died May 21 after a long battle with esophageal cancer. The Democratic powerhouse had served in Congress for more than 15 years.
For Democrats, the first step in an accelerated process to select a new congressman began Tuesday. The party held three days of voting in what is called a “firehouse” primary to select a nominee, before holding an all-day caucus Saturday in 17 locations.
After that caucus, a nominee will be announced.
A firehouse primary is put on by a political party, as opposed to the state department of the elections. According to politicaldictionary.com, they’re sometimes referred to as a “mass canvass, a party canvass, or a firehouse caucus.”
Who’s running?
Democrats
A total of 10 Democrats are on the ballot:
- Candice Bennett, a current member of the Fairfax County Planning Commission
- Ross William Branstetter IV, businessman
- Dan Lee, healthcare technology entrepreneur
- Leopoldo Martínez Nucete, former senior counselor of the Minority Business Development Agency from 2024-2025 and a former deputy to the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2000-2005
- Amy Papanu, former CIA operations officer and national security expert
- Stella Pekarsky, a current state senator from the 36th district, which includes part of Fairfax County
- Priya Punnoose, psychiatrist
- Amy Roma, energy policy lawyer
- Irene Shin, a current state delegate from the 8th district
- James Walkinshaw, a current Fairfax County supervisor and Connolly’s former chief of staff
Republicans
Republicans will nominate their candidate through a party canvass June 28 at Fairfax High School.
Seven Republicans are seeking to be the party’s nominee:
- Nathan Headrick, investment banking executive
- Karina Lipsman, nominee for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District in 2022
- Arthur Purves, president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance
- Lucas Rand, retired U.S. Army officer and combat veteran, current hospital administrator in District 11
- Mike Van Meter, behavioral therapist and nominee for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in 2024
- Stewart Whitson, U.S. Army combat veteran, former FBI Special Agent and current director of federal affairs for a conservative think tank
- Sam Wong, army veteran
Connolly had earlier said he did not intend to see reelection in November 2026, and he planned to serve out the remainder of his term. He had also stepped down as the ranking member of the powerful House Rules Committee before his death.
Connolly was elected in 2009, flipping the Northern Virginia district for Democrats as he succeeded Republican Rep. Tom Davis, who had retired that year.
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.
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