‘I’m not JD Vance’: the Appalachia memoir author running for Congress
Summary
Beth Macy, a reporter and author, is running for Congress in Virginia’s sixth district, which has been Republican for over 33 years. She uses her background to connect with voters by listening to their stories and sharing real issues like the impact of data centers on local communities and the comparison to the opioid crisis.Key Facts
- Virginia’s sixth congressional district has been held by Republicans for more than three decades.
- Beth Macy is a journalist and author known for writing about the opioid crisis in Appalachia.
- Macy is campaigning by visiting homes, food pantries, and meeting veterans while taking notes on voters' concerns.
- A key local issue is the proposed building of large data centers, which residents worry will affect water and electricity supplies.
- Macy compares the secrecy and harm caused by data centers to the opioid crisis caused by misleading information about addiction risks.
- Republican incumbent Ben Cline won by nearly 30 points in 2024 and has agreed to limited debates with Macy.
- Democrats hope Macy can win despite a state court decision blocking a redistricting plan that would have helped her party.
- Public awareness of the data centers’ impact increased after a journalist used Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act to reveal details about water use.
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