Morgan Griffith

Griffith was the Republican nominee to face longtime U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher, who was first elected in 1982. His home in Salem was just outside the 9th's borders at the time; it was in the 6th District of fellow Republican Bob Goodlatte.

Griffith jumped into the race after Boucher voted for the cap and trade bill. Boucher made much of the fact that Griffith didn't live in the district. In turn, Griffith branded Boucher as a rubber stamp for Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. Griffith narrowly won the election.[6]

Griffith defeated Democratic nominee Anthony Flaccavento 61.3 percent to 38.6 percent.[7]

Griffith defeated Democrat Derek Kitts and Independent Janice Boyd with 68.59% of the vote.

In 2018, Griffith faces two Democratic opponents, Anthony Flaccavento and Justin Santopietro, and a Whig opponent, Scott Blankenship.[8]

Griffith ran unopposed for reelection in 2020. He was reelected with 94.39% of the vote.

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Power
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

• Congressional Constitution Caucus[9]
• Congressional Western Caucus[10]
• Veterinary Medicine Caucus[11]
• Freedom Caucus[12]
• Liberty Caucus[13]
• Friends of Wales Caucus

Griffith has voted to allow the Commonwealth of Virginia to enforce federal immigration laws to criminalize knowingly employing illegal immigrants or undocumented workers,[15] and also voted to criminalize possession of firearms by illegal aliens.[16]

While serving in the Virginia House of Delegates, Griffith supported a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage by defining marriage as between one man and one woman.[17] He voted in favor of a motion to effectively kill a bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for government employees in Virginia.[18]

In 2017, Griffith voted to nullify the Stream Protection Rule, which included improvements in the protection of water supplies, water quality, streams, fish and other wildlife that have the potential to be negatively affected by surface coal mining.[19] That same year, Griffith joined other members of the House of Representatives in passing an amendment to H.R. 3354, which undermined the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to enforce environmental standards in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which covers six states and the District of Columbia.[20][21]

Griffith is a proponent of "an 'all of the above' energy strategy" that utilizes both fossil fuel and renewable energy sources.[22] In 2011, Griffith joined other GOP members in urging Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to reconsider the ban on offshore drilling off Virginia's coast.[23]

Griffith voted in favor of several bills to reduce restrictions on gun ownership, including a bill to allow concealed weapons in vehicles without a permit[24] and to allow concealed weapons permit holders to carry their firearms in restaurants and bars.[25] Griffith also voted to prohibit consumption of alcohol while in possession of a concealed weapon.[26] In 2004 Griffith voted to prohibit carrying firearms or ammunition in the non-secure areas of airport terminals, including baggage claim areas.[27][28]

Early in 2010, Griffith voted in favor of a bill to prohibit any individual mandate to purchase health insurance.[29] This law passed Virginia's legislature before the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted, which Virginia has used to challenge the individual mandate in federal court.[30] However, on July 17, 2013 Griffith was the lone GOP member of the House to vote against delaying the implementation of the individual mandate.[31]

Just prior to the United States federal government shutdown of 2013, Griffith issued press release in which he endorsed the final House version of Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014, which would have continued funding for federal government operations while delaying implementation of the Affordable Care Act.[32] Griffith voted against the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014, the Senate-proposed compromise that ended the shutdown without defunding the Affordable Care Act.[33]

Griffith has voted consistently for expansions of the death penalty to include eligibility for accomplices to a murder, as well as for those who murder a judge or a witness.[34][35][36]

When surveyed in 1999 on his political positions by Project Vote Smart, Griffith indicated that he supports legalized abortion in the first trimester and to save the life of the mother,[37] while favoring the restriction of abortion through parental notification laws and prohibition of partial-birth abortion. Griffith's voting record has generally been consistent with his 1999 survey, voting in favor of restrictions such as parental-notification and parental-consent, restricting state funding of abortions,[38] and requiring abortion clinics to meet the same licensing requirements as surgical centers. In 2006 Griffith voted to restrict state funding for fetal stem cell research.[39]

In 2007 Griffith voted against [40] a bill in the Virginia General Assembly, HB 2797, which stated: "That life begins at the moment of fertilization and the right to enjoyment of life guaranteed by Article 1, § 1 of the Constitution of Virginia is vested in each born and preborn human being from the moment of fertilization"[41]

Griffith's 2010 campaign website reported that Griffith has a "100% pro-life" voting record and an "A" rating from the Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL). However, VSHL's report on 2007 legislation in Virginia omits reference to HB 2797[42] Project Vote Smart indicated that Griffith declined to take their survey again in 2010.[37]

Griffith supports raising the retirement age and reducing the number of American troops serving overseas as means of reducing the federal budget deficit.[43] Most recently, Griffith voted in favor of the November 2017 tax plan.[44]

In 2014, Griffith introduced legislation to move marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II narcotic, which would effectively make the drug legal for medical purposes under federal law.[45]

In December 2020, Griffith was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[46] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[47][48][49]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." Additionally, Pelosi reprimanded Griffith and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[50][51] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Griffith and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit. Pascrell argued that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."[52] On January 6, 2021 Congressman Griffith was one of the 147 Republican members of the U.S. Congress that objected to certifying the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.