Candice Bennett
Candice Bennett (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent Virginia's 11th Congressional District. She did not appear on the ballot for the special general election on September 9, 2025.
Bennett completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Candice Bennett was born in Texas. She graduated from Friendswood High School. She earned a bachelor's and graduate degree from George Washington University in 1998 and 2003, respectively. Her career experience includes working as a nonprofit executive and small business owner.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Virginia's 11th Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for U.S. House Virginia District 11
The following candidates are running in the general election for U.S. House Virginia District 11 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
![]() | James Walkinshaw (D) | |
Josh Aisen (D) | ||
![]() | Stella Pekarsky (D) | |
![]() | Amy Roma (D) | |
Nathan Headrick (R) | ||
![]() | Michael Van Meter (R) |
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Endorsements
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2025
See also: Virginia's 11th Congressional District special election, 2025
General election
Special general election for U.S. House Virginia District 11
James Walkinshaw defeated Stewart Whitson in the special general election for U.S. House Virginia District 11 on September 9, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | James Walkinshaw (D) | 74.8 | 109,172 |
![]() | Stewart Whitson (R) | 25.0 | 36,530 | |
Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 269 |
Total votes: 145,971 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Karina Lipsman (R)
- Priya Punnoose (D)
- Irene Shin (D)
- Leo Martinez (D)
- Amy Roma (D)
- Candice Bennett (D)
- Daniel Lee (D)
- Amy Papanu (D)
- Isaac Day (D)
- Lucas Rand (R)
- Chandrashekar Tamirisa (Independent)
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Bennett in this election.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Candice Bennett completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bennett's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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|I’m a Fairfax County Planning Commissioner, Deputy Executive Director at Good Shepherd Housing, small business owner, housing advocate, and former member of the Virginia Fair Housing Board. I bring real-world experience in both public service and policy—rooted in over two decades of living and working in Northern Virginia.
As a planning commissioner and housing leader, I’ve helped deliver results on everything from land use to affordable housing. I’ve managed federal grants, stood up for civil servants and contractors, and fought to make government work better for working people.
I’m the spouse of a federal employee and veteran, and a caregiver to my mother—so I understand the stakes of government policy at the kitchen-table level. I know what it means to serve, to advocate, and to show up for our community every day.
I’m running because we need a representative who doesn’t just understand the district, but who knows how to get things done—someone who will fight for federal workers, protect Social Security and Medicare, and stand up to extremism in both parties. I’m not here for soundbites. I’m here to serve.- I’ll fight for the people who make government work. As the spouse of a federal employee and veteran, and as someone who has managed federal programs, I know firsthand how essential civil servants and contractors are to our country. I’ll defend their rights to due process, protect their pensions, and stand up to any attempt to politicize or dismantle the federal workforce. The constant threats of shutdowns, retribution, and silence from leadership must end. I’m running to ensure government serves the public—not political agendas.
- I bring real-world experience, not just talking points. I’ve spent my career delivering results—whether on the Fairfax County Planning Commission, leading a housing nonprofit, or managing public resources. I understand policy because I’ve implemented it, and I know the challenges families face because I live them. I’m a small business owner, housing advocate, and caregiver who knows how systems succeed—and where they fail. I’ll bring that lived experience to Congress and fight for practical, people-first solutions that improve lives.
- I’m running to protect democracy and restore accountability. We need bold leadership willing to take on corruption and defend our institutions. I support banning congressional stock trading, restoring voting rights, implementing ranked choice voting in primaries, and rolling back presidential power grabs like the Insurrection Act. Our democracy is under attack from bad actors—and too much silence. I’ll hold both parties accountable and put voters first, always. Because democracy doesn't defend itself—we have to show up and fight for it.
I’ve long admired Truman’s willingness to speak plainly and act decisively, whether it was desegregating the armed forces, confronting corruption, or investing in everyday Americans through the Fair Deal. His belief in an accountable, ethical government and in the dignity of public service reflects my own.
One of the most critical and often overlooked responsibilities is constituent services. Members of Congress have the ability to help residents navigate federal agencies—whether it’s accessing veterans’ benefits, resolving Social Security issues, or helping during a crisis. These services can make an immediate difference in people’s lives, and I believe they should be treated with the same urgency and care as any bill in Congress. At its core, this role is about trust, service, and delivering for the people who put their faith in you.
I also worked at my parents’ preschool, which was truly a family operation. I mopped floors, cleaned toilets, worked as a teacher's aide, and—long before we had the internet—catalogued the entire 10,000-book library. (I think it was 10,000 books--it certainly felt like 10,000 books!) That experience taught me the value of hard work, teamwork, and the pride that comes from pitching in wherever you’re needed. Whether it was caring for children, cleaning the building, or working in the kitchen, those early jobs grounded me in the belief that no task is too small when you’re serving a greater purpose. That’s a mindset I carry into public service today.
Unlike the Senate, which was designed for longer deliberation, the House is built for action. It has the power of the purse, the authority to initiate revenue and spending bills, and plays a critical role in oversight—investigating misconduct, checking executive overreach, and holding our government accountable.
That means representatives who have paid bills, navigated healthcare for a loved one, worked in the nonprofit or small business sectors, raised families, or cared for aging parents. I’ve served in local government, led housing initiatives, and managed our organization's federal grants, but I’ve also lived the challenges many families face every day.
First, we must confront the erosion of trust in government and democratic institutions. Political extremism, disinformation, and rising authoritarianism threaten the very foundation of our republic. Protecting voting rights, ensuring free and fair elections, defending the independence of the civil service, and holding leaders accountable are essential to preserving our democracy.
Second, we must address economic inequality and the high cost of living. From affordable housing and childcare to healthcare and retirement security, too many Americans are falling behind while billionaires and corporations rig the rules in their favor. We need bold, inclusive economic policies that invest in working people—not just the wealthy.
Third, the climate crisis poses an existential threat to our communities, economy, and national security. We need urgent, science-driven action to build resilience, reduce emissions, and transition to a clean energy economy—while creating good jobs in the process.
Finally, we face a crisis of care—underinvestment in public health, education, and the basic services that support families and aging populations. We need to rebuild these systems with dignity and equity at the center.
I also look to Rep. Shirley Chisholm, who was unbought and unbossed—and unapologetically so. She challenged the political establishment, spoke up for those left out of the system, and ran for president not just to win, but to pave the way for others. Her boldness, independence, and refusal to be silenced are deeply inspiring to me. Like Chisholm, I believe in telling the truth, even when it’s unpopular, and in standing firm for what’s right—not just what’s easy.
Now, she’s on permanent disability, and her parents—aging themselves—are trying to plan for how she’ll be supported when they’re no longer here. But because of outdated disability rules, she’s restricted from having assets above a very limited threshold. That means her parents can’t leave her much to ensure her stability, even though she’ll need support for the rest of her life.
But these are not normal times. We are witnessing unprecedented overreach—attacks on civil rights, threats to democracy, and efforts to dismantle the institutions that hold our government accountable.
When one side is actively trying to undermine free and fair elections, politicize the civil service, strip people of their fundamental rights, and protect corruption, compromise is not the answer—courage is. We cannot negotiate away democracy or human dignity for the sake of bipartisanship. That doesn’t mean refusing to work across the aisle on good-faith solutions, but it does mean drawing a hard line against extremism and authoritarianism, no matter what party it comes from.
If elected, I would use this authority to fight for a fairer, more equitable tax system. That means closing loopholes for billionaires and corporations, protecting and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and ensuring that middle-class and working families aren’t subsidizing tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. It also means ensuring we have the resources to invest in what matters most: Social Security and Medicare, affordable housing, medical research, public education, and climate resilience.
One of the most urgent uses of this power is to investigate Donald Trump’s blatant corruption and abuse of power. From efforts to overturn the 2020 election, to the mishandling of classified documents, to potential financial conflicts of interest during his presidency, the American people deserve answers—and consequences. His actions posed a direct threat to our democracy, and failing to hold him accountable only emboldens future lawlessness.
Oversight and Government Reform is where we hold our institutions accountable and defend the integrity of the federal workforce. As the spouse of a federal employee and veteran, and someone who has worked directly with federal programs and contracts, I’ve seen how vital a strong, independent civil service is to our democracy. I want to fight for due process protections, stronger whistleblower safeguards, and an end to using the federal workforce as a political scapegoat.
Ways and Means and Financial Services would allow me to directly impact economic justice—from protecting and expanding Social Security and Medicare, to closing tax loopholes, and tackling the affordability crisis. With my background in affordable housing and nonprofit leadership, I understand how federal policy shapes opportunity—and I’ll advocate for policies that put working families first.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 19, 2025