Longtime SC Democratic Party leader Don Fowler dies at 85 Dec 16, 2020 8:39 AM EST COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – The former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Donald Fowler, died on Tuesday. According to the Post and Courier, Fowler died from his battle with leukemia at 85 years old. According to the University of South Carolina, he began teaching at the school in 1964, and was a professor of American Politics. He also served as the Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party from 1971 to 1980, as CEO of the Democratic National Convention in 1988, and as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee in 1995 and 1996.