Three Democratic candidates will face off in an upcoming primary for the U.S. Ninth District Congressional seat.
Douglas Crockett, Adam Murphy and Joy Powers are vying to be the candidate facing Republican Rep. Morgan Griffith.
Crockett is a retired minister and attorney from Wythe County. His campaign focuses heavily on reducing hyper partisanship, fostering regional unity and bringing mass economic investments to Southwest Virginia to address high poverty and a lack of infrastructure.
Election information shows Murphy is focused on transforming rural healthcare access. His campaign goals include protecting vulnerable rural healthcare systems, increasing reimbursement rates for rural EMS teams and advocating for healthcare as a fundamental human right.
Powers is a local advocate whose platform emphasizes standing up for working-class community members. In addition, Powers has highlighted healthcare reform and economic development as vital pillars necessary to improve the quality of life in Southwest Virginia.
Murphy, who is a Roanoke software developer, points out southwest Virginia is becoming unaffordable.
“That’s because we have a government by, of and for billionaires, building a billionaire economy that none of us can afford.”
“I’m not just running against Morgan Griffith; I’m running against the billionaire class that owns him and owns Washington,” he said.
Murphy said his campaign is built on the promise of the “21st New Deal”, which is a bold, comprehensive plan to renew southwest Virginia, ensuring that every resident has the chance to thrive, not just survive.
He said the deal would culminate in passing a 21st Century Bill of Rights, which creates new, modern amendments to the U.S. Constitution to protect the rights of citizens as we move into the future.
One of his biggest pushes is dealing with rural healthcare support, bringing doctors and specialists to underserved areas with rural adjusted cost of living for certain jobs similar to how it works for cities, creating jobs and building up rural hospitals and clinics.
Powers, who is from Bedford County, is a fourth-generation cattle farmer and a small business owner. She has published a “home plan,” building a Southwest Virginia where families can put down roots and thrive.
“It’s focused on the basics that matter most—good healthcare, good jobs, affordable living and strong schools. Because no one should have to leave home to find an opportunity,” she said.
Powers has a concern that more must be done to protect rural hospitals, expand mental health and addiction treatment and grow the healthcare workforce so every family can get quality care close to home.
As part of Powers’ plan, she also echoes “market affordability in Southwest Virginia.
“Too many families are being priced out of housing, groceries and energy,” she said.
Crockett is the only one of the three who lives and has grown up in the original Ninth District.
He said some people would have us turn backward. “But we cannot solve the problems of today or prepare for the future by retreating into the past. America is strongest when we move forward together, guided by our highest goals.”
His parents are from Rural Retreat and Ivanhoe where he was the youngest of four children. He has also served as an attorney but has since retired from both that career and the ministry.
Crockett and his wife are moving back to Abingdon, where they plan to build a new home.
“The cost of living must come down and stay down so that everyone should be able to afford housing, food, utilities, healthcare and transportation. Our social safety net must work as intended, and we must adopt policies that lower and stabilize prices for essential goods and services, while protecting the individuals, farms and businesses that provide them from harm,” he said.
Crockett said price controls would be accomplished through “tax incentives” for businesses by providing those services (basic food, healthcare and housing).
The Democratic Primary will be held August 4.
The winner of the primary will face Griffin in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.