A post that appeared on a deceased politician’s social media that had people questioning what was really going on.
The explanation was beyond the pale.
And this dead Democrat Congressman’s social media account just went viral for all the wrong reasons.
Connolly’s posthumous political push sparks outrage
Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) died on May 21 at his home in Fairfax County at age 75 after battling esophageal cancer.
But apparently death hasn’t stopped the nine-term Congressman from campaigning for his chosen successor.
Connolly’s political accounts on X and Facebook posted messages Tuesday about early voting in VA-11 and his endorsement of Walkinshaw.
The post created a political firestorm as voters realized a dead man was seemingly tweeting from beyond the grave.
"Let’s honor that legacy and vote for bold leadership that’ll fight for us every day," the post on X said, linking to Walkinshaw’s website and including the same photo found on Connolly’s website.
The bizarre social media resurrection came just days before Virginia’s primary election to fill Connolly’s vacant Congressional seat.
Walkinshaw campaign exploits dead boss for political gain
Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff, won his endorsement the day after he announced his bid.
But critics are questioning how far Walkinshaw’s campaign is willing to go to leverage his former boss’s memory for political advantage.
Following his death, fundraising emails continued being sent from his campaign to supporters and constituents.
Virginia Democratic operative Kamran Fareedi called the posthumous campaigning "beyond unethical" after receiving fundraising emails from Connolly’s campaign after the Congressman had passed away.
https://x.com/fareedi_kamran/status/1931042618097438971“>https://x.com/fareedi_kamran/status/1931042618097438971
"For those unfamiliar, former Connolly campaign operatives are trying to coronate his former Chief of Staff as the successor to Connolly’s congressional seat, who would probably hold the office and rule over Fairfax County constituents for the next few decades," Fareedi posted.
It was also revealed that Connolly’s campaign website was updated with a photo of both men and Connolly’s endorsement letter written before his death.
Twitter users call out ghoulish political tactics
Social media users were horrified by the macabre campaign strategy.
Democratic operative Kamran Fareedi denounced the tweet by posting "This goes beyond emailing on the late-Rep. Connolly’s behalf after he passed away," referring to his earlier criticism of posthumous fundraising emails he had deemed "beyond unethical".
https://twitter.com/fareedi_kamran/status/1937590692311613600
Several supporters of Walkinshaw’s primary opponents criticized the tweet, with one calling it "entirely inappropriate and disgusting to exploit access to the late Congressman’s socials for your own political gain".
One Twitter user wrote: "This is soooo tasteless and crass. Shame on whoever posted this".
Another critic posted: "This is extremely unethical and downright disgusting. Shame on James Walkinshaw’s campaign for exploiting Gerry’s name after his passing to prop up his campaign".
The backlash highlighted the ethical questions surrounding the use of a deceased politician’s digital presence for ongoing political campaigns.
Establishment Democrats circle the wagons
Despite the controversy, Walkinshaw has the overwhelming support of the Virginia Democrat political establishment, including Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), former Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) and dozens of state legislators.
The only poll of the race — an internal survey released by Walkinshaw’s campaign — shows him heavily favored at 41%, with 8% for state Sen. Stella Pekarsky and 6% for state Del. Irene Shin.
Walkinshaw is highlighting his decade of experience working as Connolly’s top aide, plus the endorsement the congressman provided before his death.
The Fairfax County Supervisor has been using every political advantage at his disposal, including continuing to milk Connolly’s endorsement even after the Congressman’s death.
Special election becomes test of Democrat establishment power
Voters in Northern Virginia’s 11th Congressional District will head to the polls on June 28 as both parties move to fill the seat of the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
The Sept. 9 special election was set by Gov. Glenn Youngkin following Connolly’s death on May 21 from esophageal cancer.
Candidates in the Virginia special election to succeed the late Democratic Rep. Gerald E. Connolly are facing a sprint, especially compared with their counterparts looking to fill other open House seats this year.
The rushed primary timeline has given Walkinshaw a significant advantage as Connolly’s chosen successor with access to the late Congressman’s political infrastructure and fundraising network.
But the ghoulish use of Connolly’s social media accounts has raised serious questions about just how far political operatives will go to maintain their grip on power.
The family of the late Democrat has consented to let Connolly’s X account be used in this manner, according to reports.
Even so, many voters found the posthumous campaigning to be a disturbing abuse of a dead man’s digital legacy for political gain.
The controversy highlights the increasingly desperate tactics Democrat establishment figures will use to hold onto power, even if it means exploiting the memory of their deceased colleagues.
For many observers, the incident perfectly captures everything wrong with modern Democrat politics – where maintaining power matters more than basic decency or respect for the dead.
