Lamar Alexander

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Lamar Alexander

Andrew Lamar Alexander (* 3. July 1940 in Blount County , Tennessee ) is an American politician of the Republican Party . The former governor of Tennessee has represented this state in the US Senate since 2003 . He will not stand for re-election in 2020.

Early years and political advancement

Lamar Alexander graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1962 and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a law degree in 1965 . He was a founding member of the Dearborn and Ewing law firm . From 1967 he worked first for the Republican Senator Howard Baker and after the inauguration of President Richard Nixon for Bryce Harlow , the White House liaison to Congress. In 1970, Lamar Alexander campaigned for Winfield Dunn , who that year was elected Tennessee's first Republican governor in 50 years. In 1974 he ran himself for the office of governor, but was defeated by the Democrat Ray Blanton . One reason for his defeat was arguably the impact of the Watergate affair on the Republican electorate.

Governor of Tennessee

In 1978 Alexander won the gubernatorial election. Serious allegations of corruption against his predecessor Blanton and the questionable pardons of 52 convicts a few days before the end of Blanton's term of office led to an early inauguration of Alexander in order to prevent further unpleasant surprises from Blanton's side. The inauguration, brought forward by three days, was also supported by the Democrats. Governor Alexander benefited from a constitutional amendment in 1978 that allowed the governor to have a second consecutive four-year term. Alexander's tenure from 1979 to 1987 coincided with an economic boom. Many new jobs were created, especially in the automotive industry. His focus was on expanding the education system. He also promoted the expansion of the road network and implemented judicial reform. He supported the building of new prisons. He was also temporarily chairman of the National Governors Association .

Further career

After the end of his second term, Alexander was among other things from 1988 to 1991 President of the University of Tennessee. Between 1991 and 1993 he was US Secretary of Education under President George Bush . He then worked as a legal advisor. In 1996 and 2000 he ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for presidential nomination.

United States Senator

After his victory in the 2002 election , Alexander joined the United States Senate on January 3, 2003 for Tennessee. Alexander has been Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference since December 2007, making him number 3 Republican in the Senate. In December 2018, Alexander announced that he would no longer stand as a candidate in the 2020 Senate election, but that he would withdraw from politics after the end of his mandate on January 3, 2021.

Positions

When, in March 2015, 47 of the 54 Republican US Senators undermined Obama's conduct of negotiations to control Iran's nuclear program in a public letter , he was among the seven members of his party who did not sign the letter.

literature

  • Governors of the American States Commonwealths and Territories. National Governors Association, 1984
  • Who's Who in America, 2005. Marquis Who's Who, New Providence, NJ 2004.

Web links

Commons : Lamar Alexander  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Joel Ebert: Tennessee US Sen. Lamar Alexander will not seek re-election in 2020. In: The Tennessean , December 17, 2018.
  2. ^ Republican Senators Warn Iran in Open Letter. In: Politico . March 9, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Alexander, Lamar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Alexander, Andrew Lamar (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician and former governor of Tennessee
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd July 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Blount County , Tennessee