Gowdy joins Comey in the Trump doghouse?

Representative Trey Gowdy recently announced that he would not seek reelection to his Republican House seat.  He is now standing up to the Trump crowd, and staying focused on the Russian election interference investigation rather than caving in to the compliant Nunes' released memo on the investigation.  If Gowdy's approach to the Benghazi hearings is any guide, he will not let go easily.

This is interesting.  A casual observer, as well as serious ones, could observe that the Gowdy led Benghazi hearings and Comey's on again off again investigation of Clinton e-mails were two key elements of Hillary Clinton's defeat and of course Trump's election.  In many ways, one led to the other.  In his awkward way, Comey continued with the Russia investigation in a non-linear but determined way, and Trump fired him for that specific reason.  One could surmise that the South Carolina Republican Gowdy now feels free to continue pursuing the investigation without undue political pressure. Trump can't fire a congressman.  He can't ruin a retiring ones chance for reelection.

South Carolina's politics can be quirky.  From Strom Thurmond to Lee Atwater, enlightened minds are not the first thought.  Still, there is a strain of state individuality that exists. They cannot be easily grouped with Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.  The often quotable Senator Lindsey Graham uses humor to charm or cut, Senator Tim Scott is a right wing African American far to the right of Graham, among Representatives there's "you lie" Joe Wilson and the South American adventurer Mark Sanford.  They don't shy from the stage.

Now Gowdy has it, on a national level.  Could he do something important?