1965 Virginia gubernatorial election

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1965

November 2, 1965

Nominee Mills Godwin Linwood Holton William J. Story Jr. Party Democratic Republican Conservative Popular vote 269,526 212,207 75,307 Percentage 47.89% 37.71% 13.38%

Virginia gubernatorial election results map. Blue denotes counties/independent cities won by Godwin. Red denotes those won by Holton. Brown denotes those won by Story.

Governor before election Albertis Harrison Democratic Elected Governor Mills Godwin Democratic

In the 1965 Virginia gubernatorial election, incumbent Governor Albertis Harrison, a Democrat, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Linwood Holton, an attorney from Roanoke, was nominated by the Republican Party to run against Democratic Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Mills Godwin.

George Lincoln Rockwell, an avowed White Supremacist and founder/leader of the American Nazi Party, ran as an independent candidate.

Candidates

• Mills E. Godwin, Jr., Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (D)
• A. Linwood Holton, Jr., attorney from Roanoke (R)
• William J. Story, Jr., assistant superintendent of Chesapeake City Public Schools (C)
• George Lincoln Rockwell, Independent

Results

Virginia gubernatorial election, 1965

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mills E. Godwin, Jr.	296,526	47.89%	−15.96%
	Republican	A. Linwood Holton, Jr.	212,207	37.71%	+1.56%
	Conservative	William J. Story Jr.	75,307	13.38%	+13.38%
	Independent	George Lincoln Rockwell	5,730	1.02%
	Write-ins		19	<0.01%
Majority			84,319	14.98%	−12.73%
Turnout			562,789
	Democratic hold		Swing