G. William Whitehurst

George William Whitehurst (born March 12, 1925) is an American retired politician, journalist and academic who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for nine terms representing Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 1969 to 1987. He began his career as a professor at the Norfolk campus of the College of William & Mary, which became Old Dominion University in 1962 and he served as dean of students from 1963 to 1968. Upon retiring from politics, he returned to what was by then Old Dominion University, where he held the chair of Kaufman Lecturer in Public Affairs until he retired. Together, they had one daughter and one son. She died on March 6, 2009.

Whitehurst received his bachelor's degree in history from Washington and Lee University in 1950, and his master's degree, also in history, from the University of Virginia in 1951. In 1962, Whitehurst received his Doctor of Philosophy in American Diplomatic History from West Virginia University. While attending Washington and Lee University, he joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He later served on the board of directors for Delta Upsilon fraternity. He was an active faculty member at the Norfolk Division of William & Mary in 1950, and was on hand when the Division became an autonomous four-year institution, Old Dominion University, in 1962. He stepped down in 1968 to run for Congress.

Congressional career and later life

Whitehurst was elected to Congress in 1968 as a Republican from a district based in the Hampton Roads area. He was the first Republican to represent that part of Virginia since the Great Depression, and only the second Republican elected to a full term from that district in the 20th century. In 1971, Whitehurst voted in favor of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972. Whitehurst considered himself a "moderate conservative", voting in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment and a 1970 Voting Rights Act extension while being opposed to abortion.

Whitehurst was re-elected eight more times without serious difficulty. In 1974, for instance, even as Republicans were swept out in the face of voter anger over Watergate, Whitehurst still won comfortably with almost 60 percent of the vote. The Democrats didn't even put up a candidate from 1978 to 1984, and on three of those occasions Whitehurst was completely unopposed. In 1986, Whitehurst stated his support of naturalization of Filipinos who were serving in the United States Navy. He retired in 1987 after declining to run for a tenth term.

For most of his tenure in Congress, he served on the United States House Committee on Armed Services. He also served on the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the United States House Committee on Ethics.

After his service in the United States Congress, Whitehurst returned as a faculty member at Old Dominion University in 1987, and retired in May 2020.

He also served for many years as an analyst for WTKR in Norfolk.

Electoral history

1968; Whitehurst defeated Democrat Frederick T. Stant winning 54.21% of the vote. 1970; Whitehurst defeated Democrat Joseph T. Fitzpatrick winning 61.71% of the vote. 1972; Whitehurst defeated Democrat L. Charles Burlage winning 73.45% of the vote. 1974; Whitehurst defeated Democrat Robert R. Richards winning 59.99% of the vote. 1976; Whitehurst defeated Democrat Robert Everett Washington winning 65.69% of the vote. 1978; Whitehurst was unopposed for re-election. 1980; Whitehurst defeated Independent Kenneth Morrison winning 89.84% of the vote. 1982; Whitehurst was unopposed for re-election. 1984; Whitehurst was unopposed for re-election.

2016 presidential election On October 6, 2016, Whitehurst, along with other former Republican members of the United States Congress, was co-signator of a letter opposing Donald Trump's candidacy for the office of president. Although the letter did not officially endorse Hillary Clinton or any other candidate, it did state that "our party's nominee this year is a man who makes a mockery of the principles and values we have cherished and which we sought to represent in Congress."

2020 presidential election On August 24, 2020, Whitehurst was one of 24 former Republican lawmakers to endorse Democratic nominee Joe Biden on the opening day of the Republican National Convention.

Later electoral history