Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander
Official portrait, 2017
United States Senator from Tennessee
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Fred Thompson
Succeeded by	Bill Hagerty
Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Tom Harkin
Succeeded by	Patty Murray
Chair of the Senate Republican Conference
In office December 19, 2007 – January 26, 2012
Leader	Mitch McConnell
Preceded by	Jon Kyl
Succeeded by	John Thune
5th United States Secretary of Education
In office March 22, 1991 – January 20, 1993
President	George H. W. Bush
Deputy	David T. Kearns
Preceded by	Lauro Cavazos
Succeeded by	Richard Riley
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office August 6, 1985 – August 26, 1986
Preceded by	John W. Carlin
Succeeded by	Bill Clinton
45th Governor of Tennessee
In office January 20, 1979 – January 17, 1987
Lieutenant	John Wilder
Preceded by	Ray Blanton
Succeeded by	Ned McWherter
2nd President of the University of Tennessee system
In office 1988–1991
Preceded by	Edward J. Boling
Succeeded by	Joseph E. Johnson
Personal details
Born	Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. (1940-07-03) July 3, 1940 (age 83) Maryville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Leslee Buhler ​ ​ (m. 1969; died 2022)​
Children	4
Education	Vanderbilt University (BA) New York University (JD)
Lamar Alexander's voice Alexander honors former Senator Howard Baker Recorded July 8, 2014

Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. (born July 3, 1940) is an American politician and attorney who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 2003 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also was the 45th governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987 and the 5th United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993, where he helped with the implementation of Education 2000.

Born in Maryville, Tennessee, Alexander graduated from Vanderbilt University and the New York University School of Law. After establishing a legal career in Nashville, Tennessee, Alexander ran for Governor of Tennessee in 1974, but was defeated by Democrat Ray Blanton. Alexander ran for governor again in 1978, and this time defeated his Democratic opponent. He won re-election in 1982 and served as chairman of the National Governors Association from 1985 to 1986.

Alexander served as the president of the University of Tennessee from 1988 until 1991, when he accepted an appointment as Secretary of Education under President George H. W. Bush. Alexander sought the presidential nomination in the 1996 Republican primaries, but withdrew before the Super Tuesday primaries. He sought the nomination again in the 2000 Republican primaries, but dropped out after a poor showing in the Iowa Straw Poll.

In 2002, Alexander was elected to succeed retiring U.S. Senator Fred Thompson. Alexander defeated Congressman Ed Bryant in the Republican primary and democrat Congressman Bob Clement in the general election. He served as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference from 2007 to 2012 and as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee from 2015 to 2021. He introduced the Every Student Succeeds Act, which supplanted the No Child Left Behind Act in 2015. On December 17, 2018, Alexander announced that he would not run for a fourth term in the Senate in 2020.