Democrat
Sourced verbatim from the candidate's website.
I was born and raised in Wythe County, Virginia, and like many people who grow up here, home has always mattered deeply to me. Since graduating from Emory & Henry College, I've lived in several communities across Virginia and beyond, but Southwest Virginia has always shaped who I am. I have spent most of my adult life in service. After my conversion to Christianity at age nineteen, I studied the Bible for years, attended seminary, and served churches for more than three decades as a United Methodist pastor. Alongside that calling, I became an attorney, working in legal aid and in my own small practice, advocating for people who often felt unheard or overmatched by systems stacked against them. My life has included setbacks as well as successes. A serious knee injury in high school shortened my football career, but it also taught me resilience. I went on to win state track championships, later becoming the first in my family to attend both seminary and law school. Those experiences shaped my belief that perseverance, humility, and faith matter more than comfort or convenience. In 2023, I retired from pastoral ministry, and in 2025, I closed my traditional law practice. I did so not to slow down, but to follow a new calling: to bring together faith, law, and public service. I believe Scripture calls us to live peaceably, to act justly, and to speak for those who are forgotten or dismissed. I also believe deeply in the rule of law and in serving the common good. I am running for office because I believe leadership should be rooted in character, honesty, and service—not fear or self-interest. I owe a debt of gratitude to my wife of forty-four years, my family, and the many mentors and friends who have walked with me. I also owe a debt of responsibility to my neighbors across the Ninth Congressional District. If I do not use what God has entrusted to me to serve others, then I believe my living would fall short of its purpose. I am committed to listening, learning, and leading with integrity, guided by faith and rational judgment, and grounded in law.
People sometimes ask why I'm running to represent this district when I currently live in another part of Virginia. The answer is simple: Southwest Virginia is home. After seminary and several years away, my wife and I returned to the area so our children could grow up near family in Wythe and Buchanan counties. When I went to law school at William & Mary, we moved to Williamsburg—at the time, the Appalachian School of Law had not yet opened. My wife's work as a marine scientist later kept us there while our children were growing up and settled. But we never left Southwest Virginia behind. Our roots, our family, and our sense of belonging have always been here. Now that we are both retired, we finally have the freedom to come home—and the desire to serve. That's why I'm running: to represent the place that raised us and still feels like home.
Sourced verbatim from the candidate's website.
Affordability is a basic necessity. The cost of living must come down so everyone can 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—without harming the workers and businesses that provide them. Congress has a responsibility to act. Tax, agricultural, commercial, and regulatory policies should be used to reduce costs and keep them affordable. The current situation is unacceptable. Despite promises of action in 2024, Republicans have failed to deliver meaningful relief.
A strong economy means good jobs and fair pay. Every American should have a real chance at the American Dream—access to meaningful work in their field, opportunities for advancement, and the ability to build a stable future close to home. We should expand internships, apprenticeships, and job training programs that connect workers with local industries. I support growing the private sector, attracting and supporting businesses, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, and training workers to meet today's needs—while protecting future generations and avoiding short-sighted decisions. Economic growth must be responsible. We should pay our bills, reduce debt, and ensure prosperity is shared. Along with lowering the cost of essentials, increasing take-home pay is critical. That means prioritizing tax relief for low- and middle-income families, not more breaks for the wealthy. Since 2024, Republicans have failed to bring significant new jobs to the region and have focused tax cuts on those who need them least. Our district deserves better.
Opportunity should be affordable and close to home. Families deserve access to affordable education, recreation, and jobs—no matter where they live or how much they earn. Everyone should have places in their community to learn, work, and enjoy life while pursuing their goals. We must invest in affordable parks, schools, colleges, and universities at the local, state, and national levels. We should prioritize hiring locally and make laws that serve people of all ages. Since 2024, Republicans have moved in the opposite direction—working to defund national parks, undermine higher education, attack science, and erase history. Our communities deserve leaders who expand opportunity, not restrict it.
Personal, public, and national security matter. Americans deserve to feel safe in their homes, schools, and communities, and our nation must remain secure. We should support law enforcement officers, first responders, and service members who put their lives on the line every day to protect us. At the same time, we must adopt common-sense measures to reduce unnecessary violence and keep weapons out of the hands of those who intend to harm others. Safety and freedom are not opposing values—we can and must protect both. Since the 2024 election, Republicans have failed to make our communities or our service members safer. Instead, their actions have increased fear at home, empowered armed militias, and weakened trust with allies abroad—while those in power remain insulated from the consequences.
