Virginia 11th district Republican candidate Stewart Whitson told Breitbart News Saturday that Tuesday’s special election gives Republicans a “once in a generation” chance to take over the district, which Republicans have not won since 2006.

Whitson spoke to Breitbart News Saturday host Matthew Boyle as Whitson is knocking across Old Dominion’s 11th congressional district, which comprises much of Fairfax County and Fairfax City in northern Virginia. After the death of the late Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Virginians have an opportunity to potentially elect a Republican.

“For 16 long years, the Democrats have had a stranglehold on this district,” Whitson said, adding that it was “Gerry Connolly or nothing.”

Whitson noted that the “dynamics” of the special election “make this a race that Republicans can finally win.” Former Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) was the last Republican to win the district, which was during the 2006 midterm elections.

“This is a once in a generation opportunity to take back this seat,” he added, noting that this may serve as a “bellwether” election ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Whitson said, “Republicans have had the slimmest majority we have had in the last century and so taking back this seat isn’t just putting a Republican vote in Congress; it’s actually taking away a Democrat vote.”

He remarked, “I’m an unapologetically America First conservative, so I’m an Army combat veteran, proud husband of 20 years, I have school age kids, I’m a former fedearal law enforcement officer and I spent four and a half years working in a conservative think tank advancing conservative policies on Capitol Hill, and so, I’m someone that can hit the ground running day one to advance the America First agenda that the American people put him in office to advance.”

Noting that Fairfax County has been at the forefront of “wokeness” in schools, he said, “Empowering parents and getting the crazy out of our schools is a huge issue.”

Whitson cheered President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on crime in Washington, DC, saying that many constituents travel to D.C. for work.

He said, “It’s working. Everything President Trump is doing to restore safety to our communities is working.” Whitson added that Trump is also “shining a spotlight of the inability of the Democrats to make our cities safe.”

Whitson said his Democrat opponent, James Walkinshaw, promoted sanctuary city policies in Fairfax County.

Whitson concluded, “Not only do we want to win seats and flip them red, we want to make sure Republicans we are putting in are conservatives who believe in America First philosophy and want to back the president.”

Breitbart News Saturday airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Eastern.

Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.