Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. (born October 17, 1946), is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2009. He represented the 5th congressional district of Virginia.[1] He lost his bid for reelection in the 2008 election to Democrat Tom Perriello.[2] Goode subsequently joined the Constitution Party. He is that party's 2012 presidential nominee.
In 1982, Goode ran for the United States Senate from Virginia, but failed to get the Democratic Party nomination. In 1994, Goode challenged the incumbent Democratic Senator Chuck Robb, but Robb won the nomination. In 1996, Democrat Lewis Payne retired from Congress, and Goode ran for his seat as a Democrat. Goode ran for reelection as a Democrat unopposed in 1998. Prior to the 2000 election, Goode switched from being a Democrat to being an independent candidate and won reelection. Goode began caucusing with the Republican Party. He continued to serve until the 2008 election when Goode was defeated by Democrat Tom Perriello by 727 votes.
In 2012, Goode won the nomination of the Constitution Party for President.[3]
