Wyche Fowler
Encyclopedia
William Wyche Fowler, Jr. (born October 6, 1940) is an American
politician and ambassador. He is a member of the Democratic Party and served as U.S. Senator
from Georgia
from January 1987 to January 1993. He had previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives
from 1977 until his senatorial election.
. He attended Davidson College
, and then entered the U.S. Army as an intelligence officer. After discharge, he returned to school to earn a law degree from Emory University School of Law
.
From 1965 to 1966, he became the chief of staff for Congressman Charles Weltner
, and after holding this post for two years, he resigned to become a private attorney. From 1974 to 1977, he served as an Atlanta City Councilman, and he used this position as a stepping stone to the House.
's resignation.
In 1986, as a U.S. Representative, Fowler defeated the incumbent Republican Senator Mack Mattingly
. Fowler served as the junior senator from Georgia (Sam Nunn
was the serving senior senator at that time). Fowler's voting record was liberal on social concerns and moderate on economic and national security issues.
He lost his re-election bid in 1992 to Georgia State Senator Paul Coverdell
(who would later become leader of the state's Republican party
). Fowler won a plurality of the vote against Coverdell on general election
night 1992, but Georgia law requires a runoff election between the two candidates with the highest vote totals if no one candidate receives over 50 percent (a majority
) of the total vote, and a Libertarian Party
candidate received enough votes to keep Fowler's total below 50 percent-plus-one. In the runoff on November 11, 1992, Coverdell upset Fowler by a narrow margin.
administration's United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1996 to 2001.
Since then, Fowler has joined the law firm of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer, and Murphy and several corporate and academic boards, including those of the Carter Center
at Emory University and the Morehouse School of Medicine
. He also became board chairman of the Middle East Institute
. He will be teaching at Rice University
in the fall of 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and ambassador. He is a member of the Democratic Party and served as U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
from January 1987 to January 1993. He had previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1977 until his senatorial election.
Early life and career
Fowler was born in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. He attended Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, and then entered the U.S. Army as an intelligence officer. After discharge, he returned to school to earn a law degree from Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law is a first-tier US law school that is part of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. It is ranked #30 among ABA-approved law schools by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report...
.
From 1965 to 1966, he became the chief of staff for Congressman Charles Weltner
Charles Weltner
Charles Weltner was a politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.Weltner was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He received a bachelor's degree from Oglethorpe University in 1948. Then, in 1950, he received a law degree from Columbia Law School...
, and after holding this post for two years, he resigned to become a private attorney. From 1974 to 1977, he served as an Atlanta City Councilman, and he used this position as a stepping stone to the House.
Congressional Service
On April 5, 1977 he was elected in a special election to the U.S. House of Representatives to fill the vacancy caused by Andrew YoungAndrew Young
Andrew Jackson Young is an American politician, diplomat, activist and pastor from Georgia. He has served as Mayor of Atlanta, a Congressman from the 5th district, and United States Ambassador to the United Nations...
's resignation.
In 1986, as a U.S. Representative, Fowler defeated the incumbent Republican Senator Mack Mattingly
Mack Mattingly
Mack Francis Mattingly served one term as a United States senator from Georgia, the first Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate from that state since Reconstruction.-Early life:...
. Fowler served as the junior senator from Georgia (Sam Nunn
Sam Nunn
Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for 24 years as a...
was the serving senior senator at that time). Fowler's voting record was liberal on social concerns and moderate on economic and national security issues.
He lost his re-election bid in 1992 to Georgia State Senator Paul Coverdell
Paul Coverdell
Paul Douglas Coverdell was a United States Senator from Georgia, elected for the first time in 1992 and re-elected in 1998, and director of the Peace Corps from 1989 until 1991...
(who would later become leader of the state's Republican party
Georgia Republican Party
The Georgia Republican Party is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party .-Current structure:...
). Fowler won a plurality of the vote against Coverdell on general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
night 1992, but Georgia law requires a runoff election between the two candidates with the highest vote totals if no one candidate receives over 50 percent (a majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
) of the total vote, and a Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
candidate received enough votes to keep Fowler's total below 50 percent-plus-one. In the runoff on November 11, 1992, Coverdell upset Fowler by a narrow margin.
Post-Congress Career
Fowler went on to serve as the ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
administration's United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1996 to 2001.
Since then, Fowler has joined the law firm of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer, and Murphy and several corporate and academic boards, including those of the Carter Center
Carter Center
The Carter Center is a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter. In partnership with Emory University, The Carter Center works to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering...
at Emory University and the Morehouse School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine is a medical school in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.-Establishment:Founded originally as a part of Morehouse College in 1975 during the tenure of college president Hugh M. Gloster, with Louis W. Sullivan, M.D. as dean, The School of Medicine at Morehouse College began as a two...
. He also became board chairman of the Middle East Institute
Middle East Institute
The Middle East Institute is a non-partisan think tank and cultural center in Washington, DC. Founded in 1946, MEI is the oldest institution in Washington dedicated exclusively to the study of the Middle East. Its founder, architect and philanthropist George Camp Keiser, assembled a team of...
. He will be teaching at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in the fall of 2011.