[citation needed] He was elected lieutenant governor in 1976 after defeating Howard Nathaniel Lee in a Democratic primary runoff.

[2][3] In 1980, after a change to the Constitution of North Carolina, Green became the first lieutenant governor elected to a second term.

[citation needed] Green was charged in 1983 with accepting a bribe from an undercover FBI agent, but he was acquitted.

The next year, he ran for Governor of North Carolina but finished fifth in the Democratic primary behind Rufus Edmisten.

Green then threw his support to the Republican nominee, Jim Martin, giving him critical backing among conservative Democrats in eastern North Carolina.