Ewert To Announce Candidacy (Officially) Dec. 3

The Roanoke Times has this story from Todd Jackson. Former Roanoke City Manager Bern Ewert will officially announce his intention to challenge Virgil Goode for his 5th District House seat.

Ewert, who is in Europe on a vacation with his wife, [BTW, great way to connect with your average 5th District consituent, Bern. abf] plans to formally announced his candidacy Dec. 3 in Bedford, said his daughter, Elizabeth, a lawyer in Washington. Ewert served as Roanoke's city manager from 1978-85 and established himself as a bold and brazen governmental leader during his tenure. If Ewert gets the Democratic nomination, he likely would have more name recognition than any opponent Goode has faced.

This upcoming announcement from Ewert is not news, it has been rumored for some time now. Mr. Ewert will also have to overcome another challenge within the Democrat Party in order to obtain the nomination. Goode's previous challenger, Al Weed, from Charlottesville has also announced his intention to try once more to take Goode's seat in the House of Representatives.
Times reporter Jackson also points out the "scandal" Virgil Goode has found himself involved in with his ties to Defense contractor MZM. I doubt that story will have the legs to last until the campaign, but it will be Ewert/Weed's only weapon against Mr. Goode.
Jackson's story also contains this paragraph;

Goode, once the youngest member of the Virginia Senate, has had a long and successful political career in which he became disenchanted with national Democratic politics, left the party to become an independent, and then later joined the Republican ranks. His decision to become a Republican landed him the influential spot on the House Appropriations Committee.

I have seen Goode's departure from the Democrat Party described this way on numerous occasions lately. My memory is somewhat different. Virgil Goode, as one of only 2 (I think) Democrats to maintain a backbone during the Impeachment trial of Bill Clinton, was shouldered out of the Democrat Party. He lost any standing he had within the party and was forced to leave. Mr. Jackson, it would be appreciated if you would research this before repeating the misleading version quoted above.

UPDATE:
My somewhat leftist friend, Waldo Jaquith, has more information, although mostly it concerns Goode's final switch from Independent to Republican. Very good research, Waldo. However, I stand behind my memory as it pertains to the actual rift that drove Virgil to finally make the move to Independent status. I have neither the time, nor the resources (I live in C'ville, but not that C'ville) currently to research the topic properly.