Fowler eventually rose to vice-chairwoman of the House Republican Conference (caucus), the number-five position among House Republicans (behind the Speaker, Majority Leader, Majority Whip and Republican Conference chair). This led her to broach the possibility of running for a fifth term in 2000. She came under considerable fire from term limits proponents. One group ran ads in Jacksonville calling her "Slick Tillie," a play on Clinton's nickname of "Slick Willie." Eventually, she decided to honor her original pledge and did not run for reelection in 2000.