BILLY SHIELDS: Delegate-elect, thank you for joining us.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

MITCHELL CORNETT: So I'm a real estate broker and cattle farmer.

That's my main occupation and some other things in the real estate business.

Also, I'm a paramedic and— volunteer paramedic now I used to be a full time paramedic and volunteer firefighter in the past.

I've always been a— Im a fifth-generation cattle farmer here in Grayson County.

Been here my entire life.

Don't have any plans to leave.

And, you know, it's just... really have always been dedicated to public service and helping the community in any way that I can.

BILLY SHIELDS: What were some issues that people in a place like Grayson County were talking to you about?

What were top of mind that people brought up?

MITCHELL CORNETT: Most importantly was cost of living energy, energy costs.

My campaign focused a lot on that.

And just cost of living, lower taxes and, you know, there were some social issues in there, but for the most part, cost of living, lower taxes.

That's what people here were really wanting and that's what I focused my campaign on.

BILLY SHIELDS: You're a Republican that got elected in an election that was marked with this blue wave that swept across the state.

How do you hope to get some of your own measures off the cutting room floor?

MITCHELL CORNETT: I'm in one of the most conservative parts of the state in Southwest Virginia.

But we're also very economically distressed, we need a lot of economic development we need wins in Richmond.

So, it's my goal to work across the aisle where we can and we, you know, for the best of all of Virginia, and especially the 46th District.

BILLY SHIELDS: I've been out in Wise County and I was asking about where the local hospitals were, where the local— where would you get your teeth fixed if you needed, if you needed that?

And most people would tell me things like, "Well, we'd go to Tennessee, or we'd go to Kentucky.

We might go to North Carolina."

What are some things that y'all deal with out in Grayson County that you're going to keep top of mind this legislative session?

MITCHELL CORNETT: Health care is a major issue.

Keeping our hospitals that we have open with some of the federal challenges to have good access to health care.

Same with pharmacies.

Grayson County is a pharmacy desert, I think that's the only county in the district that is.

But that's a big issue with our local pharmacies having issues all across the district.

BILLY SHIELDS: Access to health care is something that a lot of Democrats ran on in this election as well.

How would their vision of access to health care differ from yours?

MITCHELL CORNETT: Most Democrats are from more urban areas than rural areas.

And we have unique challenges in rural areas there.

So, I think there is going to be some common ground there but, you know, we're just going to have to see how that plays out.

There's a lot of unknowns with the federal funding cuts.

Another big issue in the area is energy costs.

That's a, you know, that's a statewide thing, but especially here in Southwest Virginia, we have some of the highest rates in the state and people just cannot afford it.

And it's tough on businesses, bringing businesses and recruiting them because we're right next door to North Carolina and to Tennessee and they have lower taxes for corporations to come in and also lower energy costs.

So it really makes it tough for this area of the state.

A lot of us focus on Maryland, competing with Maryland and Virginia, but in our area of the state, we have North Carolina and Tennessee, and it's really tough to compete with those guys.

BILLY SHIELDS: What drives energy costs in that area?

MITCHELL CORNETT: The big driver has been just the Clean Economy Act, in my opinion, has been one issue because, you know, we just weren't really prepared.

And, you know, solar and wind is a big push for this, you know, to meet the requirements there.

And we have a lot of farmland in my district, that's the main thing here.

And farmers don't want to put solar panels on good, productive farmland.

And I wholeheartedly agree with that.

I'm a cattle farmer also.

And once that lands lost, it's lost.

And there's been some— a few solar farms in the area we have and there's been some bad experiences there and people are very weary of that.

BILLY SHIELDS: What's your take on data centers?

Some people would say that data centers are behind the rise in energy costs in the state of Virginia.

MITCHELL CORNETT: I believe they're-- they do play a part in that.

I think we need to take care of the rate payers first, the little guy.

And the data centers should be pulling their weight.

Now, it does bring some great economic oppertunities for areas and especially localities and counties in my area that are econimically distressed.

We don't have a lot of revenue.

That's a good option for them coming in.

But we have to be sure that we put the ratepayers, the individuals first, the small businesses, and be sure that we can afford electricity and we have reliable electricity for all of our businesses and all of our people to operate on.

BILLY SHIELDS: You're about to enter a chamber that is marked by what's being called the trifecta.

The Democrats have the— the General Assembly, they've got the Senate, and they've also got the governor's mansion.

What concerns you about the direction that the state would head into in the next two years?

MITCHELL CORNETT: Well, there's several things that concern me, energy is, like I said, is top, one of the top issues.

Also, a lot of social issues.

As you know, I'm in a very conservative part of the state and everybody down here, we like our guns, we like our Second Amendment rights and many things.

So, there's, you know, many things that are on the table that the people in my district do not agree with.

But, you know, that's why we have elections, and that's where we are right now.

We'll— we want to stand up for the people in my district, and hopefully where we can, we can find some common ground on the issues.

BILLY SHIELDS: One of the things that a lot of members of your party have to contend with is whether you will embrace the President of the United States right now, or... How much distance you're willing to make for yourself there.

Your thoughts on that?

MITCHELL CORNETT: Yeah, I mean, that's a totally different issue, it played a big part in this election.

But, you know, that's... state politics is— that's totally different in Virginia.

But, you know, I think— Ive made no qualms about that I'm— was a Trump supporter and continue to be.

Now, do I agree with everything?

No.

But, you know, it just kind of is what it is.

We, at this point, we're going to legislate and it's not a Trump agenda, it's a Virginia agenda.

And I'm going to do the best things for my district.

BILLY SHIELDS: Fast forward two years.

How would you look back and define success?

Passing some bills, getting some wins for my district.

You know, just standing up, getting things for the district is a big concern.

And moving forward, having a good working relationship, moving up in seniority hopefully and hopefully coming back in two years and continuing to build those relationships and get things for our district.

BILLY SHIELDS: Delegate-elect, thank you so much for your time, I really appreciate it.

MICHTELL CORNETT: Thank you.