William B. Spong, Jr.
| William B. Spong Jr. | |
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United States Senator from Virginia |
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In office December 31, 1966 – January 3, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | A. Willis Robertson |
| Succeeded by | William L. Scott |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates | |
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In office 1954–1955 |
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| Member of the Virginia Senate | |
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In office 1956–1966 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 29, 1920 Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Died | October 8, 1997 (aged 77) Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater |
Hampden–Sydney College University of Virginia |
William Belser Spong Jr. (September 29, 1920 – October 8, 1997) was a Democratic Party politician and a United States Senator who represented the state of Virginia from 1966 to 1973.
Spong was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and attended public schools, Hampden–Sydney College in Hampden–Sydney, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1947, commencing practice in Portsmouth soon thereafter. During World War II, Spong served in the Army Air Corps, Eighth Air Force from 1942 to 1945. After the War, Spong was a lecturer in law and government at the College of William and Mary from 1948 to 1949.
Spong entered Virginia politics as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1954 to 1955, and afterwards as a member of the Virginia State Senate from 1956 to 1966. While in the Senate, Spong was chairman of the Virginia Commission on Public Education from 1958 to 1962.
In 1966, Spong was personally recruited by President Lyndon Johnson to mount a primary challenge against 20-year incumbent Senator A. Willis Robertson. Johnson was angered at Robertson's opposition to the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. Spong defeated Robertson in one of the biggest upsets in Virginia political history and breezed to victory in November. Robertson resigned on December 31, 1966; Governor Mills Godwin appointed Spong to the seat, giving Spong higher seniority than other senators elected that November. Spong's primary victory marked the beginning of the end of the Byrd Organization's long dominance of Virginia politics.
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