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'''Mills Edwin Godwin, Jr.''' (November 19, 1914 &ndash; January 30, 1999), was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] who served as the 60th and 62nd [[Governor]] of his native [[Virginia]], with service from 1965 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1978. He is the only Virginia governor to have served two non-consecutive terms since 1849 and the only governor in the nation to have been elected governor with both political parties. Prior to his first gubernatorial term, he was the state's lieutenant governor and from 1948 to 1962 a member of both houses of the state legislature.<ref name=findagrave/>

'''Mills Edwin Godwin, Jr.''' (November 19, 1914 &ndash; January 30, 1999), was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] who served as the 60th and 62nd [[Governor]] of his native [[Virginia]], with service from 1965 to 1970 and again from 1974 to 1978. He is the only Virginia governor to have served two non-consecutive terms since 1849 and the only governor in the nation to have been elected governor with both political parties. Prior to his first gubernatorial term, he was the state's lieutenant governor and from 1948 to 1962 a member of both houses of the state legislature.<ref name=findagrave/>

As a Democrat, Governor Godwin was the last Virginia governor who was part of the political faction dominated by former Governor and [[United States Senator]] [[Harry F. Byrd|Harry Flood Byrd, Sr.]], which continued to win elections for three decades. He was succeeded by [[A. Linwood Holton, Jr.]], the first Virginia not affiliated with the Democratic Party in almost a century. Elected as a [[Republican Party|Republican]], Holton was later known for endorsing many Democratic nominees. In 1973, former Governor Godwin switched parties and became a Republican, but he had no support from Holton, who was term-limited. He was the first and thus far only Virginia governor to be electedunder both major parties.

As a Democrat, Governor Godwin was the last Virginia governor who was part of the political faction dominated by former Governor and [[United States Senator]] [[Harry F. Byrd|Harry Flood Byrd, Sr.]], which continued to win elections for three decades. He was succeeded by [[A. Linwood Holton, Jr.]], the first Virginia not affiliated with the Democratic Party in almost a century. Elected as a [[Republican Party|Republican]], Holton was later known for endorsing many Democratic nominees. In 1973, former Governor Godwin switched parties and became a Republican, but he had no support from Holton, who was term-limited. He was the first and thus far only Virginia governor to be elected under both major parties.

==Background==

==Background==