Biography

Howard Morgan Griffith was born on March 15, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his infancy, his family relocated to Salem, Virginia. He is married to Hilary Davis, and they have three children. Professionally, Griffith is an attorney who practiced law in private practice for nearly three decades in Southwest Virginia, specializing in traffic violations and driving under the influence cases. In 2008, he joined the law firm Albo & Oblon LLP as head of its new Roanoke/Salem office.

Griffith is a member of the Republican Party and the Freedom Caucus. He has served as the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district since January 3, 2011. The district covers most of rural Southwest Virginia, including the New River Valley and the Virginia side of the Tri-Cities. In the U.S. House of Representatives, he serves on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on House Administration. In the 119th Congress, he serves as Vice Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health. He previously served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations during the 118th Congress. His caucus memberships include the Friends of Wales Caucus, Liberty Caucus, Freedom Caucus, Veterinary Medicine Caucus, Congressional Western Caucus, Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans, and the Congressional Constitution Caucus.

Education

Griffith graduated from Andrew Lewis High School in Salem in 1976. He attended Emory and Henry College, graduating with honors in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts. He completed his legal education at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, earning a Juris Doctor in 1983.

Political Experience

Griffith's involvement in electoral politics began in 1986 when he was chosen as chair of the Salem Republican Party, a position he held from 1986 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1994.

Virginia House of Delegates
In 1993, Griffith ran for the open seat representing the 8th district in the Virginia House of Delegates and was elected. He served from January 12, 1994, to January 3, 2011. During his tenure, he served on the Rules Committee, Courts of Justice Committee , Commerce and Labor Committee, and the Committee on Militia, Police, and Public Safety. In 2000, he was elected House Majority Leader, becoming the first Republican in Virginia history to hold that position. He served as Majority Leader until December 5, 2010.

U.S. House of Representatives
In 2010, Griffith challenged 13-term incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher for Virginia's 9th congressional district. He won the election on November 2, 2010, and assumed office on January 3, 2011. He has been reelected multiple times:
* 2012: Defeated Democratic nominee Anthony Flaccavento.
* 2016: Defeated Democratic nominee Derek Kitts and Independent Janice Boyd.
* 2018: Defeated two Democratic opponents and a Whig opponent.
* 2020: Ran unopposed and was reelected with 94.39% of the vote.
* 2024: Defeated Democratic nominee Karen Baker with 72.5% of the vote.