He won re-election 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 by Mississippi standards of the time;in 1982 he voted for renewal of the Voting Rights Act.[1] He built a large base in the African-American community,important in a district with 37 percent African-American population.
In 1988,when John Stennis retired from the Senate,Dowdy won the Democratic nomination. His opponent was Republican House Minority Whip Trent Lott. Dowdy was unable to implement his rural strategy and lost to Lott by a 54% to 46% margin. He was severely hampered by George H. W. Bush carrying Mississippi with a 59% to 39% margin. He also lost badly in Lott's 5th congressional district,taking only 30% of the vote. Despite several Bush voters splitting their tickets to vote for Dowdy,it was not enough to overcome the Republican tide.
Dowdy attempted to stage a comeback against Governor Ray Mabus in the 1991 Democratic gubernatorial primary,but lost with 41 percent of the vote.[2] Mabus would go on to lose the general election in a close race against Republican businessman Kirk Fordice. Dowdy later expressed regret for challenging Mabus,saying the governor "had some good achievements as governor,and frankly,I think that our spirited primary contributed to his loss for re-election."[3]
Post-political career
He returned and resumed his law practice in Magnolia,Mississippi. He practiced civil and trial law and represented Pike County and its Board of Supervisors,the City of Magnolia,and the Town of Summit.[4]
He practices law in Magnolia,Mississippi. His family owns several radio stations in Mississippi and Louisiana and is a former staff announcer for television station WJTV-TV in Jackson,Mississippi.
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