WASHINGTON (AP) — UPDATE: Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Virginia on Tuesday. Griffith won an eighth term by defeating Democrat Karen Baker, a lawyer and former administrative law judge for the Social Security Administration. Griffith, a lawyer, has served in public office since 1994, when he was first elected to the state Legislature. The 9th District includes southwest Virginia and has been reliably Republican ever since Griffith knocked off longtime Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher to claim the seat in 2010. The Associated Press declared Griffith the winner at 9:09 p.m. EST.
ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – With 40 percent of the votes cast on election night, Democrat Karen Baker conceded to GOP 9th District Rep. Morgan Griffith.
“I challenge Mr. Griffith to refocus his priorities and energies in the 9th District, which has not seen the economic recovery experienced in more urban areas of the Commonwealth. Mr. Griffith has focused on issues such as border security, immigration, and reduced Government regulation of corporations, as well as making permanent the 1.3 trillion-dollar tax cut for large corporations. These are not issues that greatly affect the quality of daily life in the SWVA. I am asking Mr. Griffith to address the issues of significance to “US”. Broadband, cell service, access to healthcare, and trades education in our schools, so that our young people can stay and become small business owners and entrepreneurs. The people of the 9th District deserve to be prioritized by their Congressman. It’s not too late for Mr. Griffith to do just that!”
Asked about what her plans are post-election, Ms. Baker responded: “I am not going anywhere. I will continue to organize and be active in the District over the next two years. I will continue to hold our Representative accountable for his voting record.” When asked if that meant she would run again in 2026, Ms. Baker replied she had not yet decided, and that: “a lot depends on whether Mr. Griffith accepts her challenge”.
ORIGINAL STORY: Protecting small family farms, improving healthcare in rural communities and broadband connectivity are shared goals between the two candidates, Morgan Griffith and Karen Baker, for Virginia’s 9th Congressional District.
However, the candidates may have differing viewpoints on the priorities and getting the job done.
The Democratic nominee, Baker, says she’s driven by service, having served as a federal administrative law judge, as well as a rural ICU nurse.
“I come from a life of service. My father was Quaker. I was taught at an early age that you serve others. That’s why you exist in the world, and that’s why I’m running. I’m not running for a fancy office or a title. I’m running to help our people,” said Baker.
The Republican incumbent, Griffith, has represented the 9th District almost 14 years and he served in the Virginia General Assembly for 17 years before that.
“You have to work, you have to build relationships, and you have to get some level of seniority before you can really start to move policy and I think we’re moving policy in the right direction a little bit in Congress,” said Griffith.
While both candidates would like to provide more grants for affordable housing, they also have other priorities.
A key issue for Baker is to provide more high paying, unionized and industrial jobs. She also wants to get more young people trained in the trades.
“We can improve training for young people so that they can stay here. The 9th District is not unlike everywhere else. Nobody can find an electrician, nobody can find a plumber. There are not enough kids going into trades, and we can help that,” said Baker.
Meanwhile, Griffith wants to make sure illegal drugs don’t take hold of the region like the opioid epidemic.
“That created a huge problem in our region and we’re still climbing out from under that. We also have to be aware of other things that are happening with other substances because people sometimes will switch from one to another, and most of these illicit substances are coming across our southern border,” said Griffith.
Both candidates say they want the chance to fight for the 9th District.
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