Dawson says his political interest came from attending a Barry Goldwater speech in 1964, and first volunteered for Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign.
[1] In 2006, despite nationwide losses by the Republican party, the South Carolina GOP carried eight of nine statewide constitutional offices.
[3] During Dawson's chairmanship, the South Carolina GOP has made progress with outreach to African-Americans and in promoting minorities to leadership positions,[4][5] electing its first African-American member of the Republican National Committee from the South,[6] and in 2008 the first black Republican State Representative since Reconstruction was elected.
[8] Dawson expressed his interest in chairing the Republican National Committee in October 2007 when reports confirmed Senator Mel Martinez would be stepping down,[9] but did not actively campaign[10] until he announced his official bid on November 24, 2008 for the 2009 RNC Chairmanship Election.
"[14] RNC Chairman Vote Source: CQPolitics,[15] and Poll Pundit [16] Dawson lives with his wife Candy in Columbia, S.C.