Dawbarn graduated from his stepfather's alma mater, Princeton University in 1937, the year following his mother's death.
After his first wife's death, fellow Republicans persuaded the wealthy businessman to run against Democrat George M. Cochran, an often re-elected delegate from Staunton who had broken with the Byrd Organization and had been elected to the Virginia Senate two years earlier.
Dawbarn won with 56% of the vote, and two years later the Republican party slated him to run for the statewide office of Lieutenant Governor against Democrat Sargeant Reynolds.
Despite the otherwise successful year for Virginia Republicans, Dawbarn lost the 3-way lieutenant governor's race with only 42% of the vote against Reynolds' 54%.
[4] Although Dawbarn died in Palm Beach County, Florida, his remains were returned to Virginia and are interred at the Riverview Cemetery in Waynesboro.