David Towell

David Gilmer Towell (June 9, 1937 – June 10, 2003) served a single term as a U.S. Representative from Nevada, representing the state's at-large district. He was a Republican.

David Towell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Nevada's At-Large district
In office
January 3, 1973  January 3, 1975
Preceded byWalter S. Baring Jr.
Succeeded byJames D. Santini
Personal details
Born(1937-06-09)June 9, 1937
Bronxville, New York
DiedJune 10, 2003(2003-06-10) (aged 66)
Reno, Nevada
Political partyRepublican
ProfessionReal estate broker

Born in Bronxville, New York, Towell was the son of a Canadian-born mother and an English-born father.[1] He attended Bronxville and New York City public schools before earning a B.A. at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, in 1960. He served in the Nevada Air National Guard from 1960 to 1966.[2]

A real estate broker by profession, Towell's prior political experience included serving as chairman of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee and as a delegate to the Nevada State Republican conventions in 1968, 1970, and 1972. He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972, expecting to face eight-term conservative incumbent Democrat Walter Baring in the general election. However, Baring was defeated in the Democratic primary by a considerably more liberal Democrat, James Bilbray. Boosted by the divided opposition and a late endorsement from Baring himself, Towell won by a narrow margin.

In 1974, Towell ran for reelection, but was soundly defeated by a more conservative Democrat, former judge Jim Santini. Towell ran for the U.S. Senate in 1976 against incumbent Democrat Howard Cannon, but lost by an overwhelming margin. Afterwards, he resumed the real estate business.

Towell died of cancer on June 10, 2003, at Washoe County Medical Center in Reno.[2]

References

  • United States Congress. "David Towell (id: T000321)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  1. "United States Census, 1940", FamilySearch, retrieved March 7, 2018
  2. Pearson, Leslie (June 13, 2003). "Former Congressman David Towell Sr. dies". Record-Courier. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
Party political offices
Preceded by
William Raggio
Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Nevada
(Class 1)

1976
Succeeded by
Chic Hecht
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Walter S. Baring Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Nevada's at-large congressional district

1973–1975
Succeeded by
James D. Santini


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