Wayne Dowdy
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Charles Wayne Dowdy (born July 27, 1943) is a former United States Congressman from Mississippi, United States Senate candidate and currently chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party.
Dowdy was born in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia, United States.
Dowdy practiced law and owned two local radio stations before being elected Mayor of McComb from 1978-1981.
On July 7, 1981, Dowdy was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat in a special election for the 4th District, a mildly significant event because the Democrats recaptured a Southern district from the Republicans. Dowdy carefully managed to avoid drawing strong Republican challengers in the general election or black opponents in the Democratic primary. He won re-election narrowly in 1982 and 1984, with 53% and 55% of the vote, before being re-elected with 72% of the vote in the 1986 elections. He was notable for being a rather progressive Democrat in a district with a 37% African American population; he voted for renewal of the Voting Rights Act in 1982.
In 1988, when John Stennis retired from the Senate Dowdy won the Democratic nomination. His opponent was Republican Congressman Trent Lott. Dowdy was unable to implement his rural strategy. George H. W. Bush carried Mississippi 59%-39% and allowed Lott to defeat Dowdy by a 54%-45% margin.
Dowdy attempted to stage a comeback against Governor Ray Mabus in the 1991 Democratic primaries but lost with 41% of the vote.
Dowdy's trademark slogan as the chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party has been "It's a great time to be a Democrat."
He is married. His wife is named Susan, and they have three children. His wife is from Grenada, Mississippi.
He currently practices law in Magnolia, Mississippi. His family owns several radio stations in Mississippi and Louisiana. He is a former staff announcer for television station WJTV-TV in Jackson, Mississippi.
He is a graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. He is United Methodist in faith.
| Preceded by Jon Hinson |
U.S. Congressman, Mississippi 4th District 1981—1989 |
Succeeded by Mike Parker |
[edit] External links
- http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000466
- http://www.msdemocrats.net/
- http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=3650_0_9_0_C
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