Carte Patrick Goodwin (born February 27, 1974) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from West Virginia in 2010.

A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed by Governor Joe Manchin on July 16, 2010 to fill the vacancy created by the death of Robert Byrd.

Prior to his appointment as a United States senator, Goodwin served as Manchin's chief counsel.

[8] In 1999 Goodwin earned his Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law, graduating a member of the Order of the Coif.

[14] Goodwin was appointed chairman of the West Virginia School Building Authority by Manchin and later served as his chief counsel, from 2005 to 2009.

[16][17] In 2011, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appointed Goodwin to a two-year term as a commissioner of the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a position to which he was re-appointed until 2021.

[21] Observers suggested that Goodwin had been appointed as a placeholder for Manchin, who subsequently won the special election to complete Byrd's term.

Reports indicated that King preferred to have Goodwin, his former clerk, replace him and was displeased that the White House had a different potential nominee in mind.