Early in his first term, he gained notoriety for voting in support of civil rights activist Julian Bond, who was in a contested battle to be assume his seat following his election to the legislature.

The legislature, however, chose Maddox to resolve the deadlock though Callaway had led the balloting in the general election by some three thousand votes.

Elected in the Watergate class of 1974, he quickly established himself as a champion of causes related to the environment, eventually rising to the chairmanship of the committee with oversight on such matters.

[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the 99th United States Congress in 1984, losing to Republican Pat Swindall amid Ronald Reagan carrying the district in a landslide.

Each year, his alma mater, Emory University, issues an award in Levitas’s honor to the outstanding graduating senior political science major.

[1] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress