Beth Macy's Bid To Flip Virginia's 6th: Reporter, Author And Opponent Of Data-Center Expansion

Beth Macy, the Roanoke Times reporter and bestselling author of Dopesick, Paper Girl and other books, is running as a Democrat for Virginia’s 6th congressional district — a seat Republicans have held for more than three decades. Macy, 62, is mounting a retail campaign across the mountainous western district, combining traditional door-knocking with a reporter’s instinct to gather and amplify constituent stories.

Campaign Tactics And Local Stories

Macy carries a reporter’s notebook to town halls, food pantries and veterans’ meetings. At a recent fundraiser she filmed two couples who said a datacenter had been proposed next to their family land of 300 years; Macy posted the footage on social media to highlight local concerns. “It’s been really effective because it shows the real issues that people care about and people who are independent or moderate Republicans who are maybe changing their mind and starting to cross over,” she said.

Debates, Incumbent And The Datacenter Fight

Macy has challenged Republican incumbent Ben Cline — who won his 2024 race by nearly 30 points — to three debates. Cline initially agreed, then limited the events to candidate forums, a move Macy derided as “a chicken-you-know-what response.” The contest has been shaped by a broader regional backlash against rapid datacenter expansion, which has galvanized farmers and rural voters worried about water, electricity and local control.

“It’s the idea that this thing was done to people without their knowledge,” Macy says of large datacenter projects. “Only relatively recently did the people of Botetourt even find out they were doing it.”

Macy points to a planned 312-acre multi-building campus in Botetourt County, codenamed “Project Raspberry,” whose scale and water needs emerged only after Henri Gendreau of the Roanoke Rambler filed a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request. The project has become a focal point for concerns about transparency, environmental impact and local infrastructure strain.

Policy Pitch: Datacenters, AI, Workforce And Immigration

Macy draws a parallel between the opioid crisis — when the public was told OxyContin wasn’t addictive — and the way some communities say datacenters have been introduced without full disclosure of consequences. Her policy platform includes a temporary moratorium on new datacenters until an “AI czar” or regulatory framework is in place to set safeguards for jobs, water and electricity. She also calls for free community college, stronger H-2A seasonal-worker programs, and industry contributions (including from datacenter companies) to workforce training as AI reshapes job markets.

Background, Books And Comparisons

Macy is the author of five books, including Factory Man, Truevine, Dopesick, Raising Lazarus and Paper Girl. Her memoir and reporting have drawn comparisons to JD Vance — whose Hillbilly Elegy launched his political rise — but Macy rejects the parallel. “I’m my own person, I’m not JD Vance,” she says, noting differences in outlook and political philosophy and criticizing what she views as Vance’s attitude toward poor communities.

Electoral Prospects And Local Momentum

Democrats see an opening despite a setback from the Virginia Supreme Court, which struck down a voter-approved redistricting plan that might have helped the party. Macy has picked up labor backing, including an endorsement from the AFL-CIO, and says she senses some voters loosening their loyalty amid economic pressures such as high fuel and fertilizer costs. Her campaign emphasizes listening to everyday concerns and translating those stories into policy priorities.

For readers: Macy’s campaign centers on local storytelling, transparency about datacenters, and practical proposals on workforce and immigration — all pitched to win over independents and moderate Republicans in a deeply red district.