MEDIA ADVISORY THREE FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNORS AND A FORMER SENATOR TO DISCUSS PRESENT AND PAST POLITICS AT U.VA.'S MILLER CENTER ON OCT. 31 Three former Virginia governors and a former U.S. senator will discuss the history and present-day character of state and national politics with one of Virginia's most respected journalists in a special two-part event on Thursday, Oct. 31, at the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs. Former Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. and former Gov. Mills Godwin will speak and answer questions in a forum at 11 a.m. Former Govs. Gerald L. Baliles and Linwood Holton will participate in a 4 p.m. forum. Both programs will be led and moderated by James Latimer, retired chief-political reporter and columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, who covered state politics for four decades. Both forums will focus in part on current state and national political campaigns. REPORTERS PLEASE NOTE: Early arrival for each event is advised. A mult box for taping will be available. You may leave electronic equipment in place if you plan to cover both programs. Byrd, from Winchester, served in the Virginia Senate from 1948 to 1965 and succeeded his father in the U.S. Senate from 1965 to 1983. When he switched from Democrat to independent in 1970 he became the first Virginian to win state election running as an independent and the second U.S. Senator to be elected as an independent. Godwin was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1947. He was elected governor as a Democrat in 1965, and in 1973 was elected governor again as a Republican. He is the only Virginia governor elected twice by vote of the people and the only Virginia governor elected as a Democrat and Republican. Holton, who lives in McLean and practices law, became Virginia's first Republican governor of the modern era when he was elected in 1970 with a reputation as a moderate in an era of racial divisiveness. He has served as chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and president of the Center for Innovative Technology Baliles, who practices law in Richmond, served as Virginia attorney general from 1982 to 1985 and as governor from 1986 to 1990 as a Democrat and strong supporter of economic development and education. He is chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board's Commission on Educational Quality and chairman of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Latimer was a Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter from 1937 until his retirement in 1981 and was chief correspondent on Virginia politics, reporting on 12 administrations of Virginia governors. Most recently he wrote an in-depth account bringing to light new historical material about the era of Massive Resistance to racial integration in Virginia. Larry J. Sabato, U.Va. professor of government and foreign affairs and a noted observer of Virginia politics, will participate in the morning discussion. Staige D. Blackford, editor of U.Va.'s Virginia Quarterly Review journal and Gov. Holton's former press secretary, will participate in the afternoon session. For additional information please contact director Kenneth Thompson at the Miller Center at (804) 924-7236 or Bob Brickhouse at U.Va. News Services at (804) 924-7116. ### October 18, 1996 Television reporters should call our TV News Office at (804) 924-7550.