David Gilmer Towell (June 9, 1937 – June 10, 2003) was an American politician who served a single term as a U.S. Representative from Nevada, representing the state's at-large district. He was a Republican. Born in Bronxville, New York, Towell was the son of a Canadian-born mother and an English-born father. He attended Bronxville and New York City public schools before earning a B.A. in economics at

University of the Pacific University of the Pacific may refer to: *University of the Pacific (Colombia) *University of the Pacific (Ecuador) *University of the Pacific (Peru) * University of the Pacific (United States) *University of Asia Pacific, Bangladesh * University of ...

in Stockton, California, in 1960. He served in the Nevada Air National Guard from 1960 to 1966. A real estate broker by profession, Towell's prior political experience included serving as chairman of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee and as a delegate to the Nevada State Republican conventions in 1968, 1970, and 1972. He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972, expecting to face eight-term conservative incumbent Democrat

Walter Baring Walter Baring may refer to: * Walter Baring (diplomat) (1844–1915), English diplomat who served as Minister Resident and Consul-General to Uruguay *Walter S. Baring Jr. Walter Stephan Baring Jr. (September 9, 1911 – July 13, 1975) was a Unit ...

in the general election. However, Baring was defeated in the Democratic primary by a considerably more liberal Democrat, James Bilbray. Boosted by the divided opposition and a late endorsement from Baring himself, Towell won by a narrow margin. In 1974, Towell ran for reelection, but was soundly defeated by a more conservative Democrat, former judge

Jim Santini James David Santini (August 13, 1937 – September 22, 2015) was an American attorney, politician and lobbyist who served as the U.S. representative for Nevada's at-large congressional district from 1975 to 1983. He was a member of the Democr ...

. Towell ran for the

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

in 1976 against incumbent Democrat

Howard Cannon Howard Walter Cannon (January 26, 1912 – March 5, 2002) was an American politician from Nevada. Elected to the first of four consecutive terms in 1958, he served in the United States Senate from 1959 to 1983. He was a member of the Democratic ...

, but lost by an overwhelming margin. Afterwards, he resumed the real estate business. Towell died of cancer on June 10, 2003, at Washoe County Medical Center in Reno.

References

1937 births 2003 deaths 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American businesspeople American people of Canadian descent American people of English descent American real estate brokers Deaths from cancer in Nevada Military personnel from Nevada Military personnel from New York (state) Nevada National Guard personnel People from Bronxville, New York People from Douglas County, Nevada Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Nevada United States Air Force airmen University of the Pacific (United States) alumni Businesspeople from Nevada Businesspeople from New York (state) {{Nevada-politician-stub