This article originally appeared here, at fairfaxtimes.com

I have received numerous mailings from James Walkinshaw touting that he is the candidate I should vote for to fill the late Gerry Connolly’s seat in Congress. Not only was the number of pieces of mail getting a bit excessive, but the list of my questions on whether or not Walkinshaw is truly pro-women continued to grow in excess as well.

I had to take a look, myself, to learn more about this Walkinshaw guy and if his rhetoric matches up with what he has actually done while serving on the Board of Supervisors.

I didn’t need to look too far first to learn that Walkinshaw is a career politician. He spent his career working for Gerry Connolly as a Hill staffer. That is fine. I get that many folks have great careers on the Hill. Then he left to run for the Board of Supervisors. Since then, he has really worked overtime to line his pockets with increased pay raises for himself and his colleagues, translating to increased taxes for hardworking families, single moms, and working women. I’ve lived here since Walkinshaw walked into his role on the Board of Supervisors by talking the talk, and I’ve seen Fairfax County sadly go downhill, placing the safety of women and children at risk.

On the financial end, Walkinshaw has not been a champion for women as the cost of living has gone up, taxes have gone up, additional taxes have been thrown into the mix through the new “meals tax,” and all the while, his pay has gone up! I didn’t realize this until recently, but the Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors not only get a hefty paycheck on the taxpayers’ dime but also are permitted to have another job as well.

What about public safety? Where has Walkinshaw been when the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney continues to release violent criminals back onto the streets with a push for “restorative justice?” Where is the justice for women who are victims of violent rape and assault in Fairfax County? Where is the accountability for the Commonwealth Attorney who has left our community in a state of increased crime and physical uncertainty for women and girls?

When it comes to protecting young female athletes, where has Walkinshaw been when young girls in Fairfax County are faced with grown men entering locker rooms at Fairfax County recreation facilities? Where has Walkinshaw been when the safety of young female athletes is at risk due to boys choosing to “identify as women,” and place female athletes at a disadvantage and physical risk in sports competitions?

Where has Walkinshaw been when there has been an uptick in MS-13 gang activity, as well as increased incidents of overdoses in Fairfax County Public Schools? Where has Walkinshaw been when the Fairfax County Public Schools have railroaded parents speaking up and advocating for their children who have been denied education services?

The only marketing I see from Walkinshaw in terms of being “pro women” involves abortion. Why support for abortion would make someone a ‘pro woman’ is a question for another day, but for today, I see in the here and the now that James Walkinshaw has done nothing to protect and promote policies that help women and children in Fairfax County while sitting on the Board of Supervisors. To the contrary, he has actually promoted policies that harm women and children.

I’m skeptical that he would make a drastic change in the policies he supports if elected to Congress.

As a mother of three children, I’ve been learning more about Stewart Whitson, a father of five, who is running for Congress. From my initial research, I see that he prioritizes the safety of women in Fairfax County. We cannot risk sending James Walkinshaw to Congress to continue business as usual. Women and children in Fairfax County deserve better.