Due to term limits, he retired from political life in 2007 after nearly 30 years of service in the Missouri General Assembly.
In 1978, Dougherty ran for State Representative in a South St. Louis district close to Tower Grove Park.
[3] During his career in the Missouri House and Senate, Dougherty, a former social worker, has focused on issues impacting families and children.
When the Democrats controlled the Missouri House, Dougherty served as chair of the Children, Youth and Families Committee.
Jeff Smith won a heavily contested Democratic primary to replace Dougherty.