Rep.-elect James Walkinshaw is set to be sworn in Wednesday, a day after the Virginia Democrat won a special election to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
Walkinshaw’s blowout victory will narrow Speaker Mike Johnson’s razor-thin margin to 219 Republicans and 213 Democrats, meaning the GOP can lose no more than two members on a party-line vote.
Virginia elections officials delivered paperwork confirming Walkinshaw’s victory midday Wednesday, two people granted anonymity to describe the handoff, setting the stage for him to be confirmed as soon as late afternoon.
Democrats were pushing Johnson earlier in the day to respect the recent precedent of seating special election winners almost immediately upon their victory rather than waiting for final certification from local election officials. A spokesperson for Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.
Walkinshaw’s first votes are likely to be on amendments to and passage of the annual defense policy bill. He is also set to be the 217th signature on Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna’s (D-Calif.) discharge petition to force a vote on their bipartisan bill to release Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.
Despite a major pressure campaign from the White House, Massie is on track to clinch the 218 signatures he needs to end-run Johnson and force the floor vote. Another Democrat is expected to win a special election in Arizona later this month.
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