Caldwell Butler

Caldwell Butler served as a Republican House of Delegates member from Roanoke from 1962 to 1971. He served as the Minority Leader of the House, and was a law partner of Linwood Holton. Butler served as U. S. Congressman from the Sixth District, winning the seat in 1972 when Nixon's landslide carried many southern Republicans into office. He became well-known for two stands on controversial topics: in 1974 he broke with his party and voted to impeach Richard Nixon and in 1980 he stood against the extension of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Butler was a moderate on some social issues, such as abortion rights, and represented Shenandoah Valley Republicanism, a distinct blend of fiscal and political conservativism, national Republican loyalty, business-oriented views, and moderate social progressivism.