By Haley Stoltz
Voters will decide Tuesday whether to send U.S. Rep. Ben Cline back to Washington, D.C., for his fifth term, or turn to Democrat Beth Macy to fill the seat.
Cline, a Republican, has represented the 6th district since 2018. He has identified the economy as the most important issue facing voters this year, and says he wants to bring down the cost of consumer goods by lowering fuel prices. Bringing down those costs, he said, also involves achieving U.S. goals in the Middle East.
“We want to make sure that we resolve high prices and bring down high gas prices by opening up the Strait of Hormuz,” he said in an interview with the Rockbridge Report last week.
Cline said he is opposed to data centers in the district until proper standards can be established; he said that includes making sure there is transparency in their development, limiting how much of the energy cost is shifted to residents, and putting in water-use safeguards.
He said he is committed to putting more power in the hands of his constituents, rather than in the hands of politicians in Washington.
“If voters want to go back to the way we were under Biden and Pelosi, with higher taxes, energy policies that made no sense, Green New Deal policies that put more burdens on businesses and raised energy costs, then they should vote for my opponent,” he said. “But if they want to continue down the road of lower taxes, less government, and increased personal freedom, then they should continue to send me back.”
Macy, a longtime journalist, covered the district during her tenure at the Roanoke Times for over 20 years. She said that she was motivated to run for Congress after the passage of H.R.1, the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
“I thought that with my 40 years as a reporter, telling stories of real people and holding powerful people to account, that maybe it was time for an investigative journalist to be in Congress,” she said in an interview with the Rockbridge Report last month.
Macy has been campaigning to help reverse many of President Trump’s policies, including tariffs, moving toward Medicare for all, and establishing federal guardrails on AI and data centers.
She said she is confident in the work she has put in over the course of her campaign, and her ability to appeal to independent voters in the district. She has focused on direct voter outreach through holding town halls and meeting with farmers, veterans and small businesses.
“I work really, really hard. So, that sounds cocky, but it’s just true,” she said. “Nobody outworks me. You can ask anybody I’ve worked for.”
Last week, Cline came to Washington and Lee University to take part in an off-the-record conversation hosted by the College Republicans and the W&L Spectator.
The conversation was held under the Chatham House Rule which prohibit participants from being identified, or statements attributed to the speaker – including the congressman. It also typically prohibits identifying other participants.
At the beginning of the event, the Rockbridge Report asked Cline to consider allowing his statements to be published by name. He declined, saying he did not find it appropriate to “renegotiate the terms of the interview.”
However, in a social media post over the weekend, Cline posted photos from the event, showing him with students at the gathering.
“Enjoyed spending an evening with the College Republicans at Washington and Lee University,” he wrote. “I always appreciate the opportunity to hear from the next generation of conservative leaders and discuss the issues shaping our country’s future. The future of our party is bright!”
A message left with Cline’s campaign Monday was not immediately returned.