One of Virginia’s top legislative leaders has been tapped to challenge longtime federal Rep. Rick Boucher, whose congressional district includes Carroll, Patrick and Grayson counties.

Del. H. Morgan Griffith of Salem was chosen Saturday by fellow Republicans of Virginia’s Ninth District who gathered for a convention in Wythe County.

Others vying for the right to represent the GOP against Boucher in the November election were David Moore of Tazewell County; William Carr, a 65-year-old retired business owner of Ararat in Patrick County; Adam Light, also of Tazewell; Jessee Ring of Pulaski County; and Brandon Roop of Blacksburg.

After a first ballot among the more than 500 voting delegates present resulted in the three top choices being announced, led by Griffith, he was nominated through acclimation by the other two finalists.

Griffith is majority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates. Despite only being placed on the ticket Saturday, he already has drawn heavy contributions from national Republicans, who have targeted Boucher and three other Virginia Democratic congressmen they consider potentially vulnerable.

GOP leaders are hoping to transform citizen unrest over such Democratic-backed legislation as health care-reform into Republican victories in their quest to gain congressional control.

However, Boucher — a 28-year incumbent from Abingdon — shouldn’t have to worry about a voter backlash from the health-reform issue, since he was one of only two members of Congress from Virginia who voted against the plan.

Boucher has said he was concerned about its effect on Medicare recipients in his district, which has proportionately more elderly residents than other areas of the country. The Ninth District covers 19 counties, portions of three others and four cities including Galax.

Griffith says record federal deficits and runaway spending, securing the nation’s borders and upholding its immigration laws are among the issues on which he’ll campaign.