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→Early years
Fowler, the younger of the two sons of Douglas Fowler and his wife, the former Abbie Marston (1906–1976),<ref name=ssdi/> was born in [[Shreveport]], reared in Coushatta, and graduated in 1958 from Red River Senior High School, then known as Coushatta High School. Thereafter, he played football for nearby [[Northwestern State University]] (then Northwestern State College) in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] and obtained a degree in education. He was drafted to the [[Oakland Raiders]] and then from 1960 to 1966 was an offensive tackle for the Houston Oilers. He played in four games in the 1964 season. Another north Louisiana player, Charlie Taylor. Hennigan, Sr. (1935-2017) of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish, also played for the Oilers at the time in a 7-year career from 1960 to 1966<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/rosters.nsf/Annual/1964-hou|title=1964 Houston Oilers|publisher=Jr-sw.com|accessdate=August 21, 2019}}</ref>
Fowler, the younger of the two sons of Douglas Fowler and his wife, the former Abbie Marston (1906–1976),<ref name=ssdi/> was born in [[Shreveport]], reared in Coushatta, and graduated in 1958 from Red River Senior High School, then known as Coushatta High School. Thereafter, he played football for nearby [[Northwestern State University]] (then Northwestern State College) in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] and obtained a degree in education. He was drafted to the [[Oakland Raiders]] and then from 1960 to 1966 was an offensive tackle for the Houston Oilers. He played in four games in the 1964 season. Another north Louisiana player, Charlie Taylor. Hennigan, Sr. (1935-2017) of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish, also played for the Oilers at the time in a 7-year career from 1960 to 1966<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/rosters.nsf/Annual/1964-hou|title=1964 Houston Oilers|publisher=Jr-sw.com|accessdate=August 21, 2019}}</ref>
==Fowler (D) v. Baker (R)==
==Fowler v. Baker==
By the time he sought to succeed his father as elections commissioner, Fowler was a 39-year-old Natchitoches businessman. He was the early favorite to win the position, considering the tendency of Louisiana voters to either reelect incumbents, particularly Democrats, or to promote the offspring of retiring politicians. His main rival in the nonpartisan blanket primary turned out to have been a previously defeated candidate for the Louisiana State Senate and the 1973 Constitutional Convention, [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[John Henry Baker]] of Franklin Parish. Baker had lost in 1972 to the Democratic attorney, [[James H. "Jim" Brown]], then of Ferriday for the District 32 seat in the state Senate. Months later, Baker was also defeated for a delegate slot on a nonpartisan ballot to the constitutional convention by then sitting Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro in Franklin Parish.
By the time he sought to succeed his father as elections commissioner, Fowler was a 39-year-old Natchitoches businessman. He was the early favorite to win the position, considering the tendency of Louisiana voters to either reelect incumbents, particularly Democrats, or to promote the offspring of retiring politicians. His main rival in the nonpartisan blanket primary turned out to have been a previously defeated candidate for the Louisiana State Senate and the 1973 Constitutional Convention, [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[John Henry Baker]] of Franklin Parish. Baker had lost in 1972 to the Democratic attorney, [[James H. "Jim" Brown]], then of Ferriday for the District 32 seat in the state Senate. Months later, Baker was also defeated for a delegate slot on a nonpartisan ballot to the constitutional convention by then sitting Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro in Franklin Parish.
==Easy reelection victories==
==Easy reelection victories==
Fowler faced little difficulty in being reelected in the primaries held in 1983, 1987, 1991 or 1995. In 1987, his tally exceeded one million votes: 1,079,851 (83 percent) against fellow Democrat James Alan "Jim" Rentz (1933–2011), a native of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and a [[United States Navy]] veteran of the [[Korean War]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-alan-rentz-jim&pid=148637757|title=James Alan "Jim" Rentz|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' February 15, 2011|accessdate=February 15, 2011}}</ref> who polled 217,886 ballots (17 percent).<ref>Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> Like Fowler, Rentz was a former professional football player. He was a former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education in Baton Rouge, where he had long resided.<ref>"Rentz challenging Fowler," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' October 23, 1987, p. 3A.</ref>
Fowler faced little difficulty in being reelected in the primaries held in 1983, 1987, 1991 or 1995. In 1987, his tally exceeded one million votes: 1,079,851 (83 percent) against fellow Democrat James Alan "Jim" Rentz (1933–2011), a native of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and a [[United States Navy]] veteran of the [[Korean War]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-alan-rentz-jim&pid=148637757|title=James Alan "Jim" Rentz|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' February 15, 2011|accessdate=February 15, 2011}}</ref> who polled 217,886 ballots (17 percent).<ref>Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> Like Fowler, Rentz was a former professional football player. He was a former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education in Baton Rouge, where he had long resided.<ref>"Rentz challenging Fowler," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' October 23, 1987, p. 3A.</ref>
In 1991, Republican Steve Young challenged Fowler in the primary but also fared poorly. Fowler received 940,309 votes (72 percent) to Young's 372,480 (28 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.</ref> In 1995, Fowler won again over Republican candidate Wray M. Anderson (born 1953) of Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish: 954,076 (75 percent) to 323,422 (25 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> Anderson was cited for failure to file a campaign finance reform.<ref>2000 - 172 W. Anderson, Domino.ethics.state.la.us, accessed August 21, 2019</ref>
In 1991, Republican Steve Young challenged Fowler in the primary but also fared poorly. Fowler received 940,309 votes (72 percent) to Young's 372,480 (28 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 19, 1991.</ref> In 1995, Fowler won again over Republican candidate Wray M. Anderson (born 1953) of Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish: 954,076 (75 percent) to 323,422 (25 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995.</ref> Anderson was cited for failure to file a campaign finance reform.<ref>2000 - 172 W. Anderson, Domino.ethics.state.la.us, accessed August 21, 2019</ref>