Editor’s Note: This article is part of a two-part series of exclusive interviews with James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson, who are competing to represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. The story on Walkinshaw will be published tomorrow (Friday).
The task currently facing Stewart Whitson is not an easy one.
With less than a week until voters head to the polls to select their next member of Congress, the 44-year-old Republican is still making his pitch — taking any opportunity with the hopes of flipping the 11th Congressional District, a longtime Democratic stronghold.
But in order to do that, he’s not pandering, Whitson told FFXnow in a one-on-one interview. He’s remaining authentic, he says, in standing up for “common sense” issues.
“Sometimes conservatives in a district where there are a lot of people that support these radical policies are afraid to stand up against these policies, but I’m not,” Whitson said.
A political newcomer, Whitson emerged from a seven-person field in June to secure his party’s nomination for the special election, which is the first race for the seat without an incumbent since the late Gerry Connolly was first elected in 2008.
Though he lacks legislative experience, Whitson instead touts years as a member of the federal workforce. He spent nearly a decade working in the FBI before leaving in 2021 to become senior director of federal affairs for the Foundation for Government Accountability, a Florida-based conservative think tank that has been lobbying to restrict SNAP and Medicaid.
Accordingly, Whitson has closely aligned himself with the sweeping federal worker cuts implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arguing that reining in government spending by reducing bloat is a necessity.
“Every dollar that’s wasted on a program that’s not needed is taken away from the truly needy,” Whitson said. “… We need to make sure that money that’s being wasted on programs that aren’t needed is channeled instead to these programs where it is needed.”
A Great Falls resident, the father of five also says issues related to schools are “naturally most important to me.”
Citing an Arlington case involving a sex offender who reportedly identified as transgender and loitered while naked in female locker rooms at local high schools, Whitson expressed support for “keeping boys out of girl’s sports and their locker rooms.”
“That’s something I spoke passionately about, and I think voters were convinced that I’m someone that would would fight to stop that,” Whitson said.
🚨With Labor Day behind us, and Election Day just one week away, Back-To-School-Nights (BTSN) are in full swing across Fairfax County.
Tonight, I will be attending another BTSN at an FCPS elementary school to meet parents and make sure they know that:
❌Fairfax County is… pic.twitter.com/w9BY46gj3B
— Stewart Whitson (@stew_whitson) September 2, 2025
In a district like the 11th, which overwhelmingly supported Connolly over a Republican challenger in each of the past four elections, it’s not yet clear if Whitson’s approach will have the desired impact.
But whether he wins or loses, Whitson takes pride in building a campaign on positions that he says are “just common sense.”
Early voting for the 11th District special election continues until 5 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 6) at 11 locations across the county. On Election Day, which is next Tuesday, polls will be open from 6 a.m. through 7 p.m.
More voting information, including where to find your polling place, is available online.
