Beth Macy Discusses Sixth District Campaign, Health Care, Farming and Data Centers

Democratic congressional candidate Beth Macy says concerns about federal policy, health care, farming, the cost of living and the future of local communities pushed her to enter the race for Virginia’s 6th Congressional District.

Democratic congressional candidate Beth Macy joins Royal Examiner publisher Mike McCool in the studio to discuss her campaign for Virginia’s 6th Congressional District and the issues she is hearing about from voters across the region.

Macy, a longtime journalist and author, recently sat down with the Royal Examiner for an interview to discuss why she is running, the issues she is hearing across the district, and several policies she would support if elected. Her remarks included criticism of Republican Rep. Ben Cline and the Trump administration, along with proposals involving health care, Social Security, agriculture, artificial intelligence and data centers.

Macy said running for office was not part of her original plan.

“I never wanted to do this,” she said, explaining that she had expected to continue writing books before eventually retiring.

Macy said she reconsidered after seeing federal policy changes that she believed would hurt people across the district.

She has written four books and spent much of her career as a journalist reporting on economic hardship, addiction, and communities affected by factory closures and other major changes.

Macy said that background influences how she approaches the campaign.

“I am running and meeting people in the middle in their pain,” she said.

Agriculture and Rural Concerns

Farming is one of the issues Macy said she has been hearing about while traveling through the district.

She said farmers have raised concerns about health care costs, diesel fuel, fertilizer, drought and the price of equipment and replacement parts.

Macy also said she supports stronger “right to repair” protections that would allow farmers greater freedom to repair their own tractors and other equipment.

“Farmers need to be able to fix their own equipment,” she said.

She argued that warranty restrictions and proprietary repair systems can make it harder and more expensive for farmers to keep equipment working.

Macy also criticized tariffs and other federal policies that she said are adding to costs faced by agricultural producers and small businesses.

Health Care and Medicare

Health care was another major focus of the conversation.

Macy said she supports Medicare for All. If that proposal cannot pass Congress, she said she would support lowering the Medicare eligibility age to 55 or possibly 50.

She also said Medicaid should continue to receive federal support.

Macy described her experience shopping for health coverage after her husband retired, saying the couple’s private insurance cost about $2,200 per month.

She said those kinds of expenses can be especially difficult for people who retire before becoming eligible for Medicare.

Macy also discussed Social Security and said she supports increasing the amount of income subject to Social Security payroll taxes.

Under the current system, workers stop paying Social Security payroll taxes once their annual earnings pass a set taxable maximum. Macy said she supports removing or increasing that cap so higher-income earners would continue paying into the system.

She argued that doing so could strengthen Social Security’s finances over the long term.

Data Centers and Artificial Intelligence

Macy also spoke at length about artificial intelligence and the growth of data centers in Virginia.

She said AI will continue to develop but argued that government should establish stricter rules around its use and around the infrastructure needed to support it.

Her concerns include water use, electricity demand, environmental effects, and possible job losses tied to automation.

Macy pointed to data center discussions in Botetourt County and other Virginia communities as examples of why she believes the public should have more information and more opportunity to participate before major projects move forward.

She said technology companies should be expected to cover more of the infrastructure costs connected to those projects.

Macy also suggested that companies benefiting from AI expansion could help fund community colleges and workforce retraining.

She said workers may increasingly need opportunities to learn new skills as technology changes the job market.

“We know AI is happening,” Macy said. “But why do we have to let the billionaires that want to be trillionaires control it?”

Reproductive Rights

Macy also discussed reproductive rights and a proposed Virginia constitutional amendment dealing with abortion access.

She said she supports protecting a woman’s ability to make decisions about pregnancy with her doctor and family.

“It should be between doctors, families, and women, not the government,” Macy said.

She described her views as connected to a broader belief in personal privacy and individual rights.

Macy called herself a “Mountain Democrat” and said she does not see her campaign as simply following a national party platform.

“I live in the 6th District of Virginia,” she said. “There are more independents than there are Democrats and Republicans. Read the room, people.”

She said her campaign will need support beyond Democratic voters and argued that her journalism career shows she has criticized policies from both major parties.

Fundraising and Campaign Approach

Macy said her campaign has chosen not to accept corporate political action committee money.

She said much of the campaign’s fundraising comes from individual donors and described the effort as one contribution at a time.

“I can’t be bought,” Macy said.

She also spoke about the personal cost of running for office, saying candidates often must take significant time away from their careers while raising enough money to build a campaign staff and travel across a large district.

Macy said the size of Virginia’s 6th District makes that work especially demanding.

Disagreement Over Debates

Macy also addressed an ongoing disagreement with Cline over debates.

She said her campaign sent a certified letter seeking debates and contacted Cardinal News about hosting a public, moderated event.

According to Macy, her campaign proposed debates in several parts of the district, including the southern end, the Harrisonburg area, and the northern Shenandoah Valley.

She said Cline instead announced several forums, including events that conflicted with appearances already on her campaign schedule.

Macy said she plans to attend an October forum in Harrisonburg but would still prefer a traditional debate that gives each candidate an opportunity to answer and respond directly to the other.

She also described approaching Cline at the Shenandoah County Fair to discuss the issue and later leaving a message seeking a mutually agreeable date.

Macy closed by encouraging residents to participate in the election and vote.

The interview provides a look at the message she is taking across the 6th District as she campaigns on economic concerns, health care, agriculture, technology policy and what she describes as the need for greater public accountability.

More information about Beth Macy is available on her website.

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.