Democratic Primary 2026
US Congress for Virginia's 9th District
Primary Election Day: August 4th
US Congress: Virginia Ninth District Primary Candidates
Joy Powers
Joy Powers is a fourth-generation cattle farmer, small business owner, and Bedford County mom running for Congress in Virginia's Ninth District. She was raised in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains on faith, hard work, and service, and she still lives and works on her family's 350-acre farm. Before public life, she ran her family's farm equipment dealership. She is also a mother to her son, Eli, whom she adopted through foster care. As a community leader, Joy has taken on monopoly utilities to lower energy costs and fought to protect rural healthcare and the farmland that holds these communities together. Her campaign is built on the HOME Plan, a rural blueprint focused on Healthcare Here, Opportunity at Home, Market Affordability, and Education. She is running because the people of Southwest Virginia deserve a representative who knows this place, respects it, and will show up and deliver.
Douglas Crockett
Douglas Crockett is a retired United Methodist minister and retired Virginia attorney. He is from Wythe County and a graduate of Emory and Henry University. He lived in Abingdon Virginia after college and worked at the Westinghouse Wire Division plant in the Marketing Department 1/1980 to 12/1981. He committed his life to working to serve people and went to seminary in 1982. His work has included director of a storefront ministry offering food, clothing, and after-school activities, rural pastor during the 1980s farm crisis, resource person to churches confronting issues of justice and peace, legal aid attorney, Prepaid Legal attorney, and he ran his own law practice for nine years. He has three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. His wife of 44 years is Rita Crockett from Buchanan County.
Adam Murphy
Adam Murphy is a software developer from Roanoke County. Adam’s family lost their century old farm due to medical debt & years later their home in the housing crisis. He has lived the pain & frustration of a system that is rigged to keep the poor struggling & the rich flourishing.Adam is a strong proponent of Medicare for All; supporting rural healthcare, which includes incentives to bring medical professionals to SWVA; bringing economic opportunities to the region; building a strong labor force; improving infrastructure; protecting our resources; and, strengthening agriculture where farmers can thrive, not just barely get by. Adam Murphy’s campaign is creating a movement to end the neglect & bring about meaningful change in the district.
