CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — The West Virginia Democratic Party is proud to announce that Congressman James Walkinshaw of Virginia and Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols will headline this year’s Roosevelt–Kennedy Dinner on Saturday, October 4, at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center. Doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets are available at www.wvdemocrats.com/rk.
Congressman James Walkinshaw — newly elected to represent Virginia’s 11th District — has hit the ground running in Washington. A former Fairfax County Supervisor and longtime chief of staff to Congressman Gerry Connolly, Walkinshaw brings deep experience in federal policy and a strong record on energy, women’s safety, and defending civil servants. His service reflects a career-long commitment to protecting democratic institutions and delivering results for working families.
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols — the first Black mayor in Tulsa’s history and a rising voice in Southern leadership — is confronting the city’s past and present with bold, forward-looking action. A former state legislator, Nichols has launched a $100 million Greenwood Trust to address the legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, while also expanding affordable housing, investing in public schools, and forging stronger partnerships with tribal nations. His leadership has made Tulsa a national model for resilience, inclusion, and democracy in action.
“Congressman Walkinshaw and Mayor Nichols are on the front lines of protecting our democracy,” said West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin. “They are proving every day that public service can deliver real results — defending the right to vote, standing up for working people, and ensuring our communities are safer and stronger. Their voices at the Roosevelt–Kennedy Dinner will inspire West Virginians to continue that same fight here at home.”
