Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. (/ɡuːd/, born October 17, 1946) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1997 to 2009, first as a Democrat; in 2000 became an independent; in 2002 he switched to the Republican Party.He represented the 5th congressional district of Virginia. He lost his seat in the 2008 election to Democrat Tom Perriello. Goode subsequently joined the Constitution Party and was the party's 2012 presidential nominee.