A third Democrat has entered the race for the party’s nomination in the 9th Congressional District to oppose Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.
Douglas Crockett, a retired attorney and Methodist pastor who now leads a part-time estate law education ministry for churches, has declared his candidacy.
Crockett currently lives in Williamsburg but said in a statement that he is “committed to returning to Southwest Virginia to serve the people and communities he calls home.” He is a native of Wythe County.
Crockett’s statement said he “has built a reputation as a problem-solver and bridge-builder, facilitating dialogue, negotiation, and fair outcomes among congregations and litigants. For more than a decade, he carried the dual responsibility of pastoring a church while maintaining a full-time law practice, demonstrating a strong work ethic and commitment to service.”
He joins two other Democrats in the race: Roanoke County software developer Adam Murphy and Bedford County farmer Joy Powers.
The 9th District, as currently configured, is the most Republican congressional district in Virginia. Griffith won reelection in 2024 with 72.49% of the vote.
Democrats in the General Assembly want to schedule a special election April 21 on a constitutional amendment that would allow them to redraw Virginia’s congressional lines. A Tazewell County judge has blocked that, but the case has been appealed.
