University of Virginia Library

John Epps

Godwin In The GOP Camp

"As one ot you..."

These were the words
Republicans around the state
had waited months to hear
former Gov. Mills E. Godwin
say. And once he had said
them, many felt they had
gotten a bona-fide, top-notch
Republican gubernatorial
candidate.

But Godwin has
disappointed many of them.
He has refused to elaborate on
his statement, "As one of
you..." and consistently
rebukes reporters who ask him
if he will say the words, "I am
a Republican." And who
wouldn't do the same? The
Republicans came to Godwin
drooling over the possibility of
running him on their ticket.
They asked for little in return
and got very little from the
former Governor. What
Godwin has done is accept the
hospitality of his former
opponents and refused to offer
a thank-you note.

At first it seemed that
Godwin could afford to do this
but now it is beginning to look
as if he will have to dig himself
out of his own grave. His
refusal to officially join the
Republican party and to
support all Republican
candidates caused a disgruntled
15 per cent of the delegates at
the convention to withhold
their votes from him. Not a
good sign for someone running
unopposed in a state party
convention. And now Horace
"Hunk" Henderson, a former
chairman of the state party,
has announced he is forming an
independent-moderate
Republican coalition to back
Godwin's opponent,
independent Lieutenant Gov.
Henry E. Howell. Henderson
told reporters the prospect of
four more years of Mills
Godwin "frightens" him. If
Henderson is successful, the
Republican party could wind
up as split as the state
Democratic party has been for
the last four years.

By now, it is evident that
Godwin is no shoo-in for the
Governor's mansion. He is
running against his most
formidable opponent to date.
Howell is one of the best and
most enthusiastic campaigners
in the state and is as well
known in all parts of the state
as is Godwin. And the timing for
Howell couldn't be better.
With inflation skyrocketing
prices (at least, until President
Nixon's temporary price
freeze), his long - time record
of consumer protection can
only be a feather in his cap. He
also is expected to win votes
from Godwin for his strong
since against the taxes on
food and drugs, both taxes that
have been supported in the
past by Godwin.

Howell is going to force
Godwin to run on his past
record, something Godwin did
not have to do before since he
was first elected during the
Democratic monopoly of the
last hundred years. As recently
as Monday night Howell was
jabbing at his opponent for
costing the state millions of
dollars while he was governor
for placing state money in
non-interest earning bank
accounts. And Godwin's
history of being far weaker
than Howell on civil rights is
expected to sent the black
vote to the Lieutenant
Governor.

Godwin is definitely in a
tough race and at the moment
appears to be running second.
But November is a long way
off and elections in this state
have become anything but
predictable. Godwin is going to
get some big money behind
him, and that never hurts.

It must not be forgotten,
though, that Godwin is still the
respected leader of the
conservative element that has
always been strong in Virginia.
To many he is the last
remaining element of the
once-unbeatable Byrd machine
that so many Virginians still
hold allegiance to. And he is a
man big business in the state
thinks it can depend on to look
out for its interests. He is going
to try to hang McGovern
around Howell'sneck. This has
worked in the past, since the
very name of the South Dakota
senator sends chills up the
spines of many Virginians. But
since McGovern has been sent
back to the Senate and Richard
Nixon is still in the White
House, the "McGovern" label
may do little to harm Howell.