Mills Godwin

Mills Godwin
Godwin in 1974
60th and 62nd Governor of Virginia
In office January 12, 1974 – January 14, 1978
Lieutenant	John N. Dalton
Preceded by	Linwood Holton
Succeeded by	John N. Dalton
In office January 15, 1966 – January 17, 1970
Lieutenant	Fred G. Pollard
Preceded by	Albertis Harrison
Succeeded by	Linwood Holton
28th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
In office January 13, 1962 – January 15, 1966
Governor	Albertis Harrison
Preceded by	Allie E. S. Stephens
Succeeded by	Fred G. Pollard
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 5th district
In office December 2, 1952 – January 10, 1962
Preceded by	Allie E. S. Stephens
Succeeded by	William V. Rawlings
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates for Nansemond and Suffolk
In office January 14, 1948 – December 2, 1952
Preceded by	Willis E. Cohoon
Succeeded by	Willis E. Cohoon
Personal details
Born	Mills Edwin Godwin Jr. (1914-11-19)November 19, 1914 Chuckatuck, Virginia, U.S.
Died	January 30, 1999(1999-01-30) (aged 84) Newport News, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Republican (1973–1999)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (before 1973)
Spouse	Katherine Thomas Beale ​ ​ (m. 1940)​
Children	Becky Godwin
Education	Old Dominion University University of Virginia (LLB)
Signature

Mills Edwin Godwin Jr. (November 19, 1914 – January 30, 1999) was an American politician who was the 60th and 62nd governor of Virginia for two non-consecutive terms, from 1966 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1978. Godwin was the first person to be elected governor of any state as a Democrat and a Republican.

He was the last Virginia governor elected as a part of the Byrd Machine, the conservative Democratic establishment that dominated the state's politics for over three decades. He was succeeded by Linwood Holton, the first non-Democratic governor in over 80 years. By 1973, when he ran for a second term, Godwin had become a Republican, as the dominance of the Democrats in Virginia politics receded and the Byrd political machine had disintegrated.