Aila Boyd
U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith, who has represented Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District since 2010, is running for reelection in the Nov. 5 General Election. Griffith is seeking another term to continue focusing on key issues facing Southwest Virginia, such as job creation, energy policy, and public health.
Griffith serves on the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees areas like public health, telecommunications, consumer protection, and energy policy. In the 118th Congress, he was named Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. This subcommittee is tasked with examining the work of federal agencies and investigating matters under the committee’s jurisdiction. Griffith is also a member of the Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Energy, which deal with matters related to healthcare access and energy issues important to Virginia’s Ninth District.
In addition to his work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Griffith is a member of the Committee on House Administration, which oversees the operations of the House of Representatives and Capitol security, as well as providing oversight of federal elections. He also serves on the Joint Committee on Printing, which oversees the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), ensuring the legislative process has the necessary printed materials.
Born and raised in Salem, Griffith attended Andrew Lewis High School and is an honors graduate of Emory & Henry College. He later earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law. After completing his studies, he returned to Southwest Virginia, where he practiced law for nearly three decades.
Griffith began his political career in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1994, representing the Eighth District. In 2000, he became the first Republican elected as House Majority Leader in Virginia’s history, a position he held until 2011, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after defeating a 28-year incumbent.
In Congress, Griffith has focused on reducing regulations he believes hinder job growth, particularly in the coal industry. He introduced the EPA Regulatory Relief Act to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses, hospitals, and manufacturers. He supports an “all of the above” energy strategy, with coal being a critical component, and is working to revitalize coal communities by securing funding to reclaim and restore abandoned mine sites.
Griffith has also been a vocal supporter of election security measures, advocating for voter ID requirements, removing deceased individuals from voter rolls, and requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.
On immigration, Griffith has called for stronger border security to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking, while emphasizing his support for legal immigration. He believes the current border situation has worsened into a humanitarian crisis under the current administration.
Agriculture and timber are also important parts of the economy in Southwest Virginia, and Griffith has worked to protect these industries. He opposes federal regulations that he believes place unnecessary burdens on landowners and farmers, such as the Waters of the United States rule.
Griffith lives in Salem with his wife, Hilary, and their three children. The Ninth Congressional District covers 9,113.87 square miles, spanning Southwest Virginia, including Craig County, the Alleghany Highlands, and parts of Southside Virginia. According to the 2020 Census, the district is home to 783,312 residents.
