Powers: Griffith rejects 9th District debates offer

BEDFORD, Virginia — The traditional post Labor Day election runup has started, and Virginia 9th Congressional District voters may not see any debate between the incumbent and challenger before Election Day.Democratic congressional candidate Joy Powers on Friday released a copy of Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith's letter to her rejecting a challenge to debate across the district before the election.Powers on Tuesday said her campaign offered to coordinate with Griffith for three debates: one each in far Southwest Virginia, the New River Valley and the eastern end of the district. That offer included a mutually agreed moderator, she said."Our campaign offered three fair debates: mutually agreed-upon locations, a mutually agreed-upon moderator, and questions from real voters across the 9th District," Powers said Friday. "Congressman Griffith calls that 'staged.' I call it accountability … If he were actually listening, he would know they have questions."The Powers campaign also released the text of a letter sent by Griffith to Powers."I have spent years in this district, in person, answering to the people who sent me to Congress — not in carefully staged forums built around a single vote taken out of context," Griffith wrote. "You are welcome to discuss that record as often as you like. I intend to keep making my case the same way I always have: face to face, town to town, county to county."The Times News reached out to Griffith for comment Tuesday through his Washington D.C. office staff and his chief of staff Jackson Krug."On the substance, since you raised it: I will not apologize for supporting a law that lowers costs," Griffith wrote to Powers in an apparent reference to the Trump administration's "Big Beautiful Bill," "secures our border, unleashes American energy, and puts money back in the pockets of the working families of this district — rather than the tax increases, energy restrictions, and bigger government you would bring to Washington in my place.""I would rather spend the fall listening to them and fighting for them than trading rehearsed lines with you on a stage," Griffith wrote."I was unsurprised," Powers said Tuesday of Griffith's refusal to debate. "I am grateful that he responded. I guess the district knows where he stands."Powers questioned Griffith's characterization of the "Big Beautiful Bill.""Why has federal spending continued to balloon on his watch?" said Powers. "Why is he so determined to bring massive data centers into Southwest Virginia? And if Congressman Griffith says the legislation he has supported is really lowering costs, why aren't families here feeling it?"Griffith, an eight-term incumbent, defeated 14-term 9th District congressman Rick Boucher in 2010.Powers is a cattle farmer and farm equipment business owner from Bedford County.Powers said she already plans to attend a town hall-type meeting in Russell County this week, followed by an appearance at the National Black Lung Association meeting in Abingdon Friday and the United Mine Workers of America annual Fish Fry in Castlewood on Sept. 26."I think Congressman Griffith is acting like he has competition," said Powers. "I'm more excited that people on the ground are asking questions, and I'm seeing that a lot more people are open to discussion about what needs to be done in the district."