It wasn’t always like this, but today, Virginia’s 9th Congressional District is one of the “reddest” in the country, with Donald Trump winning it 70%-28% in 2020 and 69%-27% in 2016, while its right-wingnut Congressman, Morgan Griffith, won it 73.2%-26.5% in 2022 and 65.2%-34.7% in 2018 (Griffith was uncontested in 2020). It’s really frustrating, given that what voters in VA09 are doing, effectively, is voting WILDLY against their own economic – and other – self interest.
It’s also really frustrating because, as noted above, they didn’t always do that; to the contrary, prior to 2010, VA09 went strongly for Democratic Rep. Rich Boucher for many many years. VA09 voters also loved Democrat Mark Warner, voting for him 55%-44% in 1996 (when it also went narrowly for Bill Clinton for president), 52%-47% in 2000 and 63%-36% in 2008. And even in elections where Democrats lost, they didn’t get blown out. For instance, in 2006, Jerry Kilgore – from Wise County in VA09 – only defeated Tim Kaine in the district 55%-43%, while George Allen only beat Jim Webb in VA09 by 55%-44% in 2006. Starting in 2009, though, with the rise of the “Tea Party” movement, Fox “News,” social media disinformation, etc, etc., VA09 went hard right, including ousting their long-time Congressman, Democrat Rick Boucher – who was superb, by the way! – for the atrociously bad, far-right Morgan Griffith. And there Griffith remains, sadly, to this day…
So this election cycle, yet again, VA09 voters have a choice between the worse-than-worthless Griffith and a FAR-better choice on their ballot – Democrat Karen Baker, an attorney, nurse and former federal Administrative Law Judge. Unlike Griffith, who not only doesn’t help but actually HARMS the district – and the country, including through his vote against accepting the 2020 election results, his blind support for Trump in general, his climate science denialism and fealty to the fossil fuel industry, etc, – Baker would actually be an *asset* to the people of VA09 – and, if they really consider the two candidates and think through the choice, it shouldn’t be a difficult decision at all to vote for Baker.
Want some more evidence that Baker would be a far better U.S. Representative than Griffith? See below for audio of the recent debate held between the two candidates, and the contrast in terms of quality could hardly be starker. A few excerpts really tell the story.
- Karen Baker: “I am a listener and a problem solver. I will work with anyone in Congress who is serious about solving rural issues and expanding rural economies. My opponent has had 14 years to listen to and problem solve for the 9th district and he’s done neither. He has presided over a depressed economy here in the 9th district for all of those 14 years without offering any meaningful investment or solutions…[Griffith] voted against the infrastructure bill that included investments in roads and bridges in a deeply rural district where people have to commute to work. He voted against the Inflation Reduction Act that led to lower prescription drug costs for our seniors for life-saving medications like insulin. He voted against our veterans by voting against the PACT Act, which allows veterans to receive service connected disability for exposure to Middle East burn pits. He voted against our Union miners’ pensions and health care plans and against funding the Black Lung Trust Fund while thousands of retired miners gasp for air after years underground.”
- Karen Baker: “An effective representative is present, accessible and responsive. None of these words describe my opponent. An effective representative is a creative leader who brings people together to be the best we can be. That is not my opponent. My life has been one of service. I have always represented the little guy. I want to serve as your representative in Congress because you deserve someone who will fight right alongside you for a better life for all of us here in Appalachia. My job will be to fight for us all.”
- Karen Baker: “[Griffith] voted for $1.3 trillion in tax breaks for wealthy corporations and very very wealthy individuals, and there was no concern at that time, which was just a few years ago, that it would increase the federal deficit, which it did dramatically. So it’s a matter of priorities and my opponent’s priority is giving tax breaks to corporations so they can buy back their own stock and give big bonuses to themselves and for wealthy individuals – very wealthy individuals. That’s not my priority; my priority is using federal dollars when there is no profit motive to be had, meaning rural. So we have to kickstart the economy, kickstart the progress with federal dollars.”
- Karen Baker: “Mr. Griffith voted against certifying the election, which was of course after the incursion into the Capitol by the rioters, he still voted against certifying the election for absolutely no known or articulated reason other than he didn’t like the outcome. He joined a lawsuit attacking the bonafides of the election with no evidence that such was the case. There were over 55 lawsuits filed by Republicans in 2021, the end of 2020 the beginning of 2021, attacking the results of the election, and none of them prevailed, because they did not provide any evidence. So for someone who loves the law to vote against certifying election without any evidence that the election was in any way not valid is to me just incomprehensible.”
Meanwhile, Morgan Griffith just spewed out false right-wing talking points, absurdly demonizing Democrats on the usual host of issues – crime, immigration, inflation, public education, LGBTQ kids, you name it – when almost all of those things are actually areas where Democrats have consistently been much STRONGER than Republicans (e.g., on immigration, Republicans have repeatedly killed comprehensive reform bills that would have strengthened enforcement at the border, among other things). Griffith also constantly demonizes government itself, even though VA09 is heavily dependent on federal funding/aid (for infrastructure, health care, pensions, you name it). On women’s reproductive freedom, Griffith mocked the idea and made clear that he’s thrilled Roe v Wade was repealed. Griffith also attempted, laughably, to defend his disgraceful/unforgiveable vote against certifying the 2020 election results. That alone should disqualify him for service in public office.
Bottom line: let’s hope that VA09 voters reconsider their Republican leanings of recent years, think about who’s actually fighting for THEIR interests and not against them, and look closely at the MERITS of the two candidates on the ballot this fall. Then, they should vote for the best candidate on their ballot, which obviously is Karen Baker.
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