A majority of the funds that propelled Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw to victory in the Democratic primary for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District came from his dead boss’s campaign account, not funds he raised organically, a Washington Examiner review of campaign finance records found.

Walkinshaw was chief of staff to the late Democratic Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly from 2009 to 2019. Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw’s bid to replace him in Congress shortly before dying of esophageal cancer in May. In early June, most of Conolly’s remaining campaign funds, $1.8 million, were transferred to Fight for Virginia’s Future, a super PAC backing Walkinshaw. After receiving that infusion of cash, the pro-Walkinshaw PAC spent over $1.7 million boosting his candidacy. Walkinshaw raised just $768,674 in donations and only spent $535,053.