Virginia House member to run as independentBy Bob Franken/CNN
January 24, 2000
Web posted at: 9:15 p.m. EST (0215 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Virgil Goode of Virginia said Monday he will drop his Democratic Party
affiliation and "run as an independent" instead as he seeks re-election in 2000 to his third term.
In a statement from his district office in Rocky Mount, Virginia, Goode
said he planned "to continue voting on issues on the basis of what I believe is
in the best interests of the Fifth District and not on a particular party
position."
The top Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, reacted
to Goode's move by issuing the following statement: "While I regret that Virgil
Goode has decided to run for re-election as an independent, I am heartened that
he chose not to affiliate himself with the Republican Conference."
"Even though he will be running as an independent, we will continue to
extend to him his Democratic committee assignments," Gephardt said.
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