Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Author and former journalist Beth Macy has announced her candidacy for the Democratic primary in Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, a Republican-held seat that includes Salem and much of western Virginia. Macy made the announcement in November.
The district is currently represented by Republican Rep. Ben Cline, who has served in the U.S. House since 2019. Cline sits on the House committees on the judiciary, appropriations and the budget. Before his election to Congress, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2018, representing the 24th District and chairing the Committee on Militia, Police, and Public Safety.
Macy, a Roanoke resident, spent 25 years as a reporter at The Roanoke Times, where she covered communities across western Virginia. She later gained national recognition as a best-selling author focusing on rural America, economic change and public health.
Her first book, Factory Man, examined the effects of globalization on small towns and manufacturing communities. Her 2018 book, Dopesick, investigated the opioid epidemic and the role of pharmaceutical companies; it later became an Emmy- and Peabody-winning Hulu series on which Macy served as a writer and producer. Her most recent book, Paper Girl, reflects on her upbringing and career in journalism.
In announcing her campaign, Macy said her decision to run grew out of years of reporting on families struggling with addiction, job loss and limited access to health care and other services. She said she believes the political system increasingly favors corporations and wealthy donors over working families, particularly in rural areas.
Macy said her priorities include making life more affordable for working families, expanding access to health and mental health care, investing in rural communities and improving economic opportunity for children.
She has also been critical of Cline’s voting record, saying he has opposed addiction treatment programs, measures aimed at reducing health care costs and investments in rural communities. Cline has defended his record as consistent with fiscal restraint and conservative principles.
The 6th Congressional District stretches from the Roanoke and Shenandoah valleys to the West Virginia border and has been reliably Republican in recent federal elections. Democrats have not held the seat since 2003.
Macy will seek the Democratic nomination in 2026, challenging Cline in what is expected to be a closely watched race in western Virginia.
