Former Va. Republican Rep. Virgil Goode announces presidential bid
Virgil Goode Jr. may have served six terms as a Republican congressman from Virginia, but now he feels he can best bring about change as the Constitution Party’s candidate for president.
In a brief interview with The Daily Caller, Goode said that his platform is primarily comprised of four planks: limited government, securing the border, rapidly adopting a balanced budget and establishing term limits.
“If I’m fortunate enough to get the nomination of the Constitution Party, I will take as many votes from Obama as I would from the Republican nominee,” he said.
Goode explained that he could appeal to disaffected Democratic voters because he is “for limited campaign donations,” and refusing to accept donations over $200. “I think that is a more grassroots position than President Obama has,” Goode said. “He is rolling in maximum donations from wealthy people all over the county.”
The former congressman, who was defeated for re-election in 2008, declined to disparage any of the Republican candidates for president, but did predict a close race in Virginia’s March 6 primary between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul — the only two candidates to submit enough signatures to appear on the ballot.
“I expect it will be a fairly close,” he said of the GOP primary in his state. “I think Representative Paul’s fiscal restraint positions will play well in Virginia.” Goode says, however, that he will not cast a ballot for either candidate.
Goode told TheDC that he has been on the Constitution Party’s executive committee for two years, and said that his beliefs “are more in line” with that party than the Libertarian Party.
If selected as the Constitution Party’s nominee, Goode would likely appear on ballots alongside other well-known Americans running as third-party candidates, including actress Roseanne Barr — who is seeking the Green Party nomination — and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who is likely to secure the Libertarian Party’s nod.
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