"Virgil H. Goode, Jr. isn't your typical member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Not only does he reportedly buy each one of his car tires from a different dealership in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, as Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato attests, but Goode has earned the reputation of a maverick in the political arena.

Serving his fourth term representing the Fifth District, which includes Charlottesville and 20 other localities, Goode first ran as a Democrat in 1996, declared himself an independent in 2000, and these days calls himself a Republican. But Goode's notoriety is not limited to his multiparty experiences – he has enjoyed a steadfast breadth of support in his district, winning reelection last year by a vote margin of over 40,600.

It Runs in the Family

"I always had an interest in politics," said the Franklin County native in a thick, Southern Virginian accent.

Indeed, Goode had an early start. His father, Virgil Goode, Sr., served as the state's Commonwealth attorney for 24 years.

Goode received a B.A. in 1969 from the University of Richmond and graduated from U.Va. Law in 1973.

Sabato, who first met Goode, Jr. at the University, said Goode, Sr. was "one of the best orators I have ever heard anywhere in America."

After obtaining his J.D. in May 1973, Goode decided to follow his father's career in public service by competing that August in a special election against six other candidates to replace Virginia State Sen. William Stone.

"It was about a 60-day sprint," Goode said of his first electoral triumph. "I went around to a lot of meetings with my father and he helped me a great deal during that first campaign."

Sabato said it was incredible that Goode, at age 27, was able to defeat all of the other, more experienced candidates.

"I think he's the youngest state senator since revolutionary times," he said.

For the next 23 years, Goode held his post as a Democratic senator for the 20th district while practicing law on the side.

Moving On Up

In 1996, Rep. Lewis F. Payne, who was the incumbent representative for the fifth district, announced he was not seeking another term in Congress. Though Goode said he had thought about running for federal office in 1988, he opted against it because his daughter Catherine was too young then. Eight years later, he seized the opportunity.

"There were some federal issues I think needed to be addressed," Goode said. Among them, he emphasized expanding prescription drug benefits under Medicare, preserving social security funds and pushing for troops on U.S. borders to discourage illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Goode said the adjustment from state to federal office was not overly difficult.

"The process is very similar, but legislation at the national level has more packaged bills," he said, giving as an example each year's multifaceted appropriations bills. "At the state level, each bill involved one particular subject."

Third Time's the Charm

Goode, who served in public office as a member of the Democratic Party for over 25 years, declared himself an independent in 2000 and switched his House membership to the Republican conference.

"I had voted to impeach Clinton and that irritated the Democrats," Goode said, adding that a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee was also a strong motivation.

Two years later in 2002, Goode ran for reelection as a Republican for the first time. Goode, however, downplayed the importance of his party switches.

"My views have probably stayed the same," he said, emphasizing that he has maintained the same positions on most issues, such as second amendment rights or voluntary school prayer, throughout his career.

Sabato agreed that Goode has reflected continuity in his principles.

"He's been a Democrat, he's been an independent and he's been a Republican, but I always knew where Virgil stood," he said. "You can usually predict how he's going to vote -- Virgil has always been and still is something of a populist, very much like his father."

On the Issues

During his tenure in the State Senate, Goode recalled a successful bill he sponsored that introduced a statewide system of regulating concealed weapon permits.

"That was a huge fight in 1995," Goode said. "It made the law more uniform."

In Congress, Goode recently voted in favor of the Medicare bill that passed last week, but not before meeting with top members of the House leadership and other representatives from tobacco states to discuss quota buyout legislation, an issue he has pursued for some time.

"I wanted the leadership to give us an audience and agree to bring it up," Goode said, explaining the need to amend the current quota system, in which quota holders must lease the right to grow tobacco.

"The quota system came in 1937 to prevent wild swings and ups and downs in the market," he said. "Over time, the people growing the tobacco and owning the quota are no longer the same."

The cost of interest on quotas further raises the price of U.S. tobacco above the world market price, Goode said, adding that domestic tobacco already costs more than in other countries since it has to comply with the Clean Tobacco Act. To remedy the disparity, Goode supports a final buyout of the quotas by tobacco producers.

"It would make American tobacco more competitive," he said.

Goode also praised President Bush's decision to uphold the China Textile Safeguard, which limits the amount of certain clothing products that China can import into the U.S.

"Free trade with China has cost the fifth district a number of manufacturing jobs, so I am no fan of Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China," Goode said. "'Free trade' is not always fair trade."

Goode said he continues to support constitutional amendments allowing school prayer and prohibiting the physical desecration of the American flag.

"I think voluntary school prayer should be allowed," he said. "We had those when I used to go to school, and if you didn't want to participate, you didn't have to. I don't think anyone was harmed or stunted by that."

A Day in the Life

Typically, Goode said he spends most of his time during the week in Washington, otherwise visiting his four district offices and other parts of the community. This past weekend, he visited Nelson County and plans to spend time this week in Farmville and Charlottesville.

Linwood Duncan, a 1979 University graduate and native of the fifth district, works in Goode's Danville office and said the congressman is "a joy" to work with.

"Virgil gets up every morning -- and I'm not being facetious when I say this -- and he thinks, 'What can be done to make the fifth district a better place to work and live in?" Duncan said, stressing Goode's personal oversight in constituent matters.

"No letter goes out without Virgil having seen it, reviewed it, knowing it is correct to the best of his ability and signing his name," he said.

A Popular Populist

Through his influential seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Goode has secured federal funding for numerous projects in the fifth district, defending them against the notion of so-called 'pork.'

"For instance, if it's for the University of Virginia, it's not pork," Goode said. "Now, somebody in the state of Washington may say that it is, but I don't think so."

Sabato reiterated the importance of Goode's ability to bring funding back home.

"He has brought money and goodies back to the fifth district by the barrelful," Sabato said.

Aside from funding victories, Goode credits his popularity to his staff, as well as the campaign volunteers who helped him last year in his easy defeat of Democratic challenger Meredith Richards.

"We just had a lot of people helping us out in that campaign," Goode said. "That was the biggest thing."

Duncan, however, links Goode's success with his personal character.

"In the fifth district, people like to know their elected officials," Duncan said. "Virgil doesn't have two faces. There is only one face of Virgil and that is his face of integrity."

Sabato emphasized that Goode's level of support is rare.

"Always look to the home county if you want to know what a candidate is really like," he said. "Virgil is beloved in Franklin County. He gets 80-90 percent of the vote there –- you just don't see those kind of margins."

It's Good to be Goode

"You don't tangle with Virgil Goode," Sabato continued. "Whether you agree or disagree with his views, you must admire his dedication. He is a principled guy."

Goode described the best part of his job as "being able to get a piece of legislation or an amendment passed that you think is needed and helping a citizen negotiate with the federal bureaucracy or with a problem they might have."

Goode offered some final advice to University students seeking careers in public office.

"When you're going to a good school with a good background, take advantage of it," he said. "Be involved in your local affairs."" (Kara Rowland, The Cavalier Daily, December 3, 2003)