Who's running in Virginia's 9th congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Morgan Griffith currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Protecting constitutional freedoms
Defending the 2nd Amendment
Defending the right to life
Supporting conservative family values
Standing up to the Environmental Protection Agency
Opposing what his campaign calls job-killing regulations
Lowering costs and putting money back in working families’ pockets
Securing the border and unleashing American energy
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 2, 2010
Represents Virginia’s 9th Congressional District
Served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1994 to 2011
Elected House Majority Leader in 2000, the first Republican in Virginia history to hold that position
Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
Chairman of the Health Subcommittee in the 119th Congress
Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations during the 117th Congress
Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health
Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy
Listed as a sponsor of H.R. 5549, the Efficient Nuclear Licensing Hearings Act, in a House committee markup notice
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
Morgan Griffith has not debated Democratic nominee Joy Powers, and voters should be able to hear him answer for his record. Powers also argued that federal spending has ballooned on his watch, asked why he is determined to bring massive data centers into Southwest Virginia, and questioned whether families are actually feeling the effects of the cost-lowering legislation he supports.
Protecting rural hospitals and expanding mental health and addiction treatment.
Growing the healthcare workforce so families can get care close to home.
Bringing new industries and small business investment to the Ninth District.
Rebuilding infrastructure such as roads and broadband.
Lowering costs by holding corporations accountable, building affordable homes, and helping working people keep more of what they earn.
Supporting teachers, modernizing classrooms, and expanding access to higher education and job training.
Presenting herself as a voice for rural Virginia rooted in faith, family, hard work, and small-town communities.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Filed a statement of candidacy for U.S. House, Virginia District 9, as a Democratic challenger on 11/14/2025.
Described on her campaign site as a fourth-generation cattle farmer, small business owner, and Bedford County mother.
According to her campaign site, she has worked to take on monopoly utilities, expand rural healthcare, strengthen public education, and protect Virginia farmland and rural ways of life.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
Douglass Crockett said Powers had no good explanation for her residency concerns and said she kept trying and fumbling during their exchange.
— Douglass Crockett
Douglass Crockett said that when he raised a racial issue, Powers and others do not want to talk about it, and he described her response as dismissive.
— Douglass Crockett
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Joy Powers beyond the source-reviewed Virginia Scope article was found in the materials provided.
The sources reviewed did not provide detailed information on her policy proposals beyond campaign-site issue statements.
The sources reviewed did not identify endorsements or independent support statements from other people or organizations.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Virginia’s 9th District is on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot, and the settled nominees are Republican incumbent Morgan Griffith and Democratic nominee Joy Powers. Griffith was unopposed in the Republican primary, and Powers won the Democratic nomination on August 4, 2026. ([elections.virginia.gov](https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/candidate-list/?os=avdf)) I did not find a qualified independent or third-party candidate for this contest in the official/state and major-reference sources I checked. ([elections.virginia.gov](https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/candidate-list/?os=avdf))
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Virginia ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Virginia Department of Elections.