Morgan Griffith has been the House Majority Leader since 1994 in the Virginia House of Delegates and is a lifelong Salem resident. A graduate of Salem’s Andrew Lewis High School, Griffith is also an honors alum of Emory & Henry College. After completing his studies at Washington and Lee University School of Law, he returned to Salem to practice law.
Griffith is a member of the House of Courts of Justice and Militia, Police and Public Safety and serves as chairman of the Rules Committee and is a member of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.
Griffith and his family of five live in Salem, where they are involved in many community activities, including the Boy Scouts and Fellowship Community Church. He also swims on a summer private pool team and swam competitively in college.
Carter Turner is currently an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Radford University. He and his wife of 13 years have been raising their daughter in Roanoke County for the last two and a half years, before their move from Montgomery County.
Turner recently became active in politics when he helped area residents keep an asphalt treatment plant from being established near Glenvar schools.
Q: What is your party affiliation?
Griffith: Republican
Turner: Democrat
Q: Where did you grown up?
Griffith: Salem
Turner: Salem
Q: Have you made any campaign promises, something you will absolutely stick to?
Griffith: I have a record of accomplishments and an extensive voting record. I know the voters of the 8th District know what to expect of me and vote accordingly.
Turner: I have promised not to accept money from large corporate interests and I intend to keep that promise.
Q: How will you attract businesses to Virginia and Roanoke specifically?
Griffith: Virginia has been ranked the best state in the nation in which to do business. In order to keep this reputation, we need to continue to fight for Virginia’s Right To Work Laws and remain a lower tax state. In Roanoke specifically, we need to continue building for the future with projects such as the intermodal rail yard and our biomedical industry, including the medical school partnership between Carilion and Virginia Tech.
Turner: We have to invest in our community first. I will fight for state support for Greenway expansion and other “quality of life” projects such as the renovation and expansion of Center in the Square. I would also work to better fund the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and increase the Governor’s Opportunity Fund in order to offer better incentives to potential businesses.
Q: Name two good reasons people should vote for you.
Griffith: I have proven leadership in Virginia and represent the values of western Virginia and fight for our ideals in Richmond. With my experience in leadership, I am positioned to protect the interests of western Virginia in the face of a growing super-urban majority in Virginia.
Turner: As a college educator, I understand the challenges our teachers face in the classroom, and I see first-hand the successes and failures of our K-12 system. If elected, I will bring that insight to Richmond to work solely for the people of Salem and Roanoke County. I am also committed to serving my constituents and not large corporations who fund candidates campaigns.
Q: Why are you qualified for this position?
Griffith: I have an extensive background of service to the community, even prior to my election to the House of Delegates in 1993. I believe my experience and leadership more than qualify me to continue in my position.
Turner: I have the dedication, vision, work ethic and intelligence to understand the issues facing our state, and the courage and tenacity to fight for what is right. I am also willing to acknowledge my mistakes and learn from them.
Q: Are you pro-life or pro-choice?
Griffith: I have been endorsed for re-election by the Virginia Society for Human Life. I have supported a ban on partial birth abortion, a 24-hour waiting period for women considering having an abortion, parental notification, parental consent and informed consent. I believe that clinics that perform abortions must meet hospital standards and I oppose spending taxpayer dollars to perform abortions.
Turner: Pro-choice.
Q: Say something nice about your opponent.
Griffith: I understand that Carter is an outstanding professor at Radford University and well liked by his students.
Turner: I respect Morgan Griffith for his 15 years of public service. This job is not without great sacrifice and I commend him for his willingness to serve.
Q: Will you raise taxes?
Griffith: I have never signed a “no new taxes” pledge, but my voting record clearly shows that I am tax resistant.
Turner: I intend to raise the cigarette taxes to offset the health care costs associated with smoking.
Q: How long have you lived in your district?
Griffith: Fifty years.
Turner: Two years, three months.
Q: Who do you admire now?
Griffith: My mother; she has faced many challenges during the course of her lifetime, worked hard as a single parent, raised two children and successfully taught an entire generation of Salem and Roanoke County students.
Turner: My wife Karen; she is the most dedicated, supportive and hard working human being I’ve ever known.
Q: Have you voted in the last four elections and primaries?
Griffith: Yes.
Turner: No. I did not vote in 2007 due to family illness, but have voted seven times in five years.
Q: How will you fund road maintenance locally?
Griffith: I would propose increasing funding for highways with royalties from offshore drilling of natural gas as well as the use of the first $50 million of tax revenues generated off the new intermodal site, specifically for the Salem district. Additionally, in January of 2010, we should be able to issue $300 million in bonds for transportation funding. These bonds can be issued over the next 10 years for a total of $3 billion because of legislation I helped carry in the House.
Turner: I am committed to finding sufficient transportation revenue sources that cover our funding needs without relying on general funds. All potential revenue sources are on the table and the solution will be multi-faceted. I do not believe a single “silver bullet” solution is viable.
Q: What do you consider your best accomplishment in life so far?
Griffith: By far, my best accomplishment in life will always be my three wonderful children, Abby, Davis and Starke.
Turner: Raising a bright, curious and conscientious child.
Q: Do you have any pets?
Griffith: We have a cat that lives at my office that we have adopted as our own and had spayed, and we have fish at home.
Turner: Two dogs, a Brittany and an English Setter
By Carla Bream [email protected]