Morgan Griffith, R (Courtesy Morgan Griffith for Congress)
U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, on Tuesday easily won reelection in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, which he has represented since 2011. The Republican incumbent fended off a challenge by Democratic Karen Baker in a race that centered on health care access and representation in the largely rural, mountainous region.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:17 p.m. as Griffith led Baker with 73.5%-26.5% of the votes, ensuring his eighth term in Congress.
Griffith’s victory solidifies his stronghold in the conservative-leaning district, which stretches across Southwest Virginia, an area known for its rural communities and economic challenges.
Throughout her campaign, Baker, a healthcare advocate and former administrative law judge for the Social Security Administration, focused on expanding access to health care services in the district, particularly in its remote areas.
She also criticized Griffith for not doing enough to address the health care needs of his constituents, arguing that the region’s residents have been underserved. Baker also claimed that Griffith had failed to show up for the people of the 9th District, asserting that his focus had drifted away from the issues impacting local communities.
“People sometimes go, who’s that? And generally, I would say 80 to 90% of the time, people say, ‘he doesn’t do anything for us,’” Baker said of her opponent in an interview with The Mercury in September.
Griffith, however, defended his record, emphasizing his efforts to bring jobs and federal resources to the district. He also highlighted his work on energy and coal industry issues, which remain central to the district’s economy.
“I’m a big supporter of the telehealth concepts, of our federally qualified health centers, and of trying to make sure that we continue to pay our health care providers enough that they can make it,” Griffith told The Mercury in an interview.
The race underscored the ongoing divide in Southwest Virginia between conservative and progressive approaches to policy, particularly on issues like health care, jobs, and government spending.
While Griffith’s win signals continued Republican dominance in the 9th District, Baker ran a more efficient campaign than Democrat Taysha DeVaughan, who two years ago lost her bid to oust the Republican incumbent by 26.5-73%.
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