| Wayne Dowdy | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 4th district |
|
| In office July 7, 1981 – January 3, 1989 |
|
| Preceded by | Jon Hinson |
| Succeeded by | Mike Parker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 27, 1943 Fitzgerald, Georgia |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Dowdy |
| Religion | Methodist |
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.
Contents |
Dowdy was born in Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Georgia.
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 African American opponents in the Democratic primary. He won re-election narrowly in 1982 and 1984, with 53 percent and 55 percent of the vote, before being re-elected with 72 percent of the vote in the 1986 elections. He was notable for being a rather progressive Democrat in a district with a 37 percent 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 percent-39 percent, which allowed Lott to defeat Dowdy by a 54 percent-45 percent margin.
Dowdy attempted to stage a comeback against Governor Ray Mabus in the 1991 Democratic primaries, but lost with 41 percent 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."
Dowdy and his wife, Susan, 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.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jon Hinson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 4th congressional district July 7, 1981 – January 3, 1989 |
Succeeded by Mike Parker |
|
|||||||||||