 Prior to entering Congress, he was the founder and president of Wintergreen Resort.Payne was elected as a Democrat to the 100th United States Congress, by special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Dan Daniel, a conservative Democrat, and reelected to the four succeeding Congresses (serving from June 14, 1988 to January 3, 1997).In 1994, his share of the vote fell sharply.