COLUMBIA, S.C. — Longtime South Carolina and national Democratic Party leader Don Fowler has passed away at the age of 85.
State Democratic Party Chair confirmed the new on Twitter Tuesday night, saying, "The Democrat’s Democrat, Don Fowler passed away this evening. He was a professor, father, chair of the DNC, chair of the SCDP, campaign guru, supporter, but most of all...a friend. I shall miss his advice and long letters. Our love goes out to Carol, Donnie and Cissy."
Fowler participated in every presidential election since 1964, starting on the local level but then soon transitioning to national leadership and campaigns.
A former Democratic National Committee chair and former state party chair, Fowler said his passion for the party came from the party’s push for the Civil Rights Act.
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Fowler and his wife Carol have been involved in Democratic politics for more than five decades. Together, the two have been a power couple in the state and party.
Don Fowler was also well known for educating students at the University of South Carolina through his courses on politics and the mass media since 1964. Fowler would often bring the nation's most prominent political leaders and journalists into his classrooms.
Messages of condolence and memories began flowing on social media as the news of Fowler's death spread.
SC Governor Henry McMaster released a statement on Wednesday morning.
The statement began, "Don Fowler was a true gentleman in an arena where it's become the exception and no longer the rule." He continued to talk about the passion Fowler had for his students, country, state and party.
Van Hipp, former chairman of the SC Republican Party, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Army, author and political commentator, tweeted he had met Fowler as a teenager and later served with him in the Army Reserves.
"We were on opposite sides of the political aisle, but I always enjoyed talking politics, military issues & all things South Carolina with him. Don was a patriot who loved America," said Hipp.
Christine Pelosi, daughter of Nancy Pelosi and a Democratic strategist in California, shared the story of her interaction with Fowler during the 1988 Democratic Convention.
Bill Clinton's speech went long after having to improvise due to technical difficulties. Backstage, staff and assistants were told to get out of the way while the Clinton and Dukakis teams argued. In the rush to exit, Pelosi forgot to grab her purse -- with all of her identification.
Former Columbia mayor Bob Coble remembered Fowler as a friend and mentor.
And Jaime Harrison, who recently challenged Lindsey Graham for the US Senate and is considered by many to become the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, shared his memory of first meeting Fowler when he was an intern for Rep. James Clyburn. Fowler had brought peaches to Washington from South Carolina and had instructed Harrison to deliver them around D.C., making a final stop at the White House.
Harrison tweeted, "Since that moment, every major step I’ve taken in Democratic politics, Don has been there to guide and mentor me. From SCDP Chair to my races for DNC Chair to US Senate, Don has been in my corner. I even taught his class with my friend and former SCGOP chair @MattMooreSC."
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U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham released the following statement in response to the news of the passing of Dr. Don Fowler:
"Our state has lost a giant. Dr. Don Fowler was a remarkable South Carolinian who dedicated his entire adult life to teaching young people about the democratic process and encouraging them to become involved in public service. He led by example, becoming one of the most prominent and influential political figures in our state’s history. I was deeply honored to know him and to learn from him.
Don Fowler loved South Carolina and the Democratic Party and he worked tirelessly for both in good times and bad. His passion was to build a better, safer and more inclusive America, and by all accounts, he was successful.
My deepest sympathies are with Carol, Donnie, and Cissy and the countless lives Don impacted. May we all strive to live a life as full and complete as his."
And current DNC Chair Tom Perez said this of Fowler:
“Weeks before he passed, Don Fowler called me and said four words: ‘Put me to work.’ Even when he was battling health issues, even when he was tired and it seemed like he’d given our party everything he had left, Don still showed up. He lived and breathed the Democratic Party, and his life of service to our nation should inspire us all. And I take great comfort in knowing he lived long enough to see through the cause he spent the last months of his life fighting for: electing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. Together, Don and his wife Carol were a dynamic duo who embodied the values of our party, fighting tirelessly to build a better future for working families. On behalf of the entire Democratic Party, I’m sending my thoughts to Carol, Don’s family and colleagues, and the people of South Carolina during this difficult time. Don Fowler was one of a kind. We will miss him dearly.”