H. Morgan Griffith represents Virginia's mountainous 9th District as a staunch conservative who has built his career around defending coal mining interests and rural Virginia values. Before coming to Congress in 2011, he served as Majority Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he honed his reputation as a skilled legislator and fierce advocate for traditional energy industries. Griffith has emerged as one of Congress's most vocal defenders of coal power and critics of environmental regulations, arguing that federal overreach threatens the economic backbone of Appalachian communities. His legal background and prosecutorial experience have made him a prominent voice on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he frequently challenges federal agencies over regulatory policies affecting his coal-dependent district.