Changes

==Political career==

==Political career==

===Governor of Tennessee===

===Governor of Tennessee===

In 1970, Alexander served as the campaign manager for Memphis dentist Winfield Dunn's successful gubernatorial bid. Thanks to his successful tenure as Dunn's campaign manager, Alexander received the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee in 1974. He faced Democrat Ray Blanton, a former congressman and unsuccessful 1972 Senate candidate. Blanton won the election with 56% of the vote. Do to a number of scandals in his administration, [[Governor]] Blanton decided not to run for re-election in 1978. Lamar Alexander ran for governor and won the general election, defeating Democrat nominee Jake Butcher by eleven percentage points. Once elected, he helped Tennessee become the third largest auto producer and the first state to pay teachers more for teaching well. He started Tennessee's Governor's Schools for outstanding students. Alexander made history by becoming the first person reelected to a second 4-year term by defeating Knoxville mayor Randy Tyree in the 1982 election, carrying almost 70% of Knox County. During his second term, he served as chairman of the [[National Governors Association]] from 1985 to 1986. After his governorship, Alexander moved to [[Australia]] with his family for a time, he would soon return to Tennessee and became the president of the [[University of Tennessee]] (1988–1991), and United States [[Secretary of Education]] under President [[George H.W. Bush]] (1991-1993).

In 1970, Alexander served as the campaign manager for Memphis dentist Winfield Dunn's successful gubernatorial bid. Thanks to his successful tenure as Dunn's campaign manager, Alexander received the Republican nomination for governor of Tennessee in 1974. He faced Democrat Ray Blanton, a former congressman and unsuccessful 1972 Senate candidate. Blanton won the election with 56% of the vote. Due to a number of scandals in his administration, [[Governor]] Blanton decided not to run for re-election in 1978. Lamar Alexander ran for governor and won the general election, defeating Democrat nominee Jake Butcher by eleven percentage points. Once elected, he helped Tennessee become the third largest auto producer and the first state to pay teachers more for teaching well. He started Tennessee's Governor's Schools for outstanding students. Alexander made history by becoming the first person reelected to a second 4-year term by defeating Knoxville mayor Randy Tyree in the 1982 election, carrying almost 70% of Knox County. During his second term, he served as chairman of the [[National Governors Association]] from 1985 to 1986. After his governorship, Alexander moved to [[Australia]] with his family for a time, he would soon return to Tennessee and became the president of the [[University of Tennessee]] (1988–1991), and United States [[Secretary of Education]] under President [[George H.W. Bush]] (1991-1993).

===Presidential campaigns===

===Presidential campaigns===

Alexander made two unsuccessful runs for [[President of the United States]], in the 1996 and 2000 election cycles. In 1996, he finished third in both the [[Iowa]] caucus and [[New Hampshire]] Primary and dropped out before the Super Tuesday primaries. After dropping out of the race, Alexander took an advisory role in the [[Bob Dole]]/[[Jack Kemp]] campaign. His second candidacy, in which he traveled around the U.S. in a Ford Explorer, eschewing a campaign bus or plane, lasted less than six months, being announced March 9, 1999, and withdrawn August 16, 1999 (after a poor showing in the [[Ames Straw Poll]]), both times in [[Nashville]].

Alexander made two unsuccessful runs for [[President of the United States]], in the 1996 and 2000 election cycles. In 1996, he finished third in both the [[Iowa]] caucus and [[New Hampshire]] Primary and dropped out before the Super Tuesday primaries. After dropping out of the race, Alexander took an advisory role in the [[Bob Dole]]/[[Jack Kemp]] campaign. His second candidacy, in which he traveled around the U.S. in a Ford Explorer, eschewing a campaign bus or plane, lasted less than six months, being announced March 9, 1999, and withdrawn August 16, 1999 (after a poor showing in the [[Ames Straw Poll]]), both times in [[Nashville]].

===United States Senate===

===United States Senate===

[[Image:000lamaralexander.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Lamar Alexander with Senate Republicans, 07/16/09]]In 2002, Lamar Alexander ran for the open seat of retiring Senator [[Fred Thompson]]. Seen as a moderate Republican by Tennessee standards, his candidacy for the GOP nomination was challenged by conservatives who supported Congressman Ed Bryant. However, Alexander went on to win the Republican primary and the general election. Making him the only Tennessean ever to be popularly elected both governor and United States Senator. Alexander was easily reelected in 2008 with 67% of the vote. Senator Alexander is the third ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. He serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee responsible for overseeing the Tennessee Valley Authority as well as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and is a member of the Senate Rules committee. In the 110th Congress, Alexander unsuccessfully ran for Senate Minority Whip, losing by one vote to Senator [[Trent Lott]] of [[Mississippi]].

[[Image:000lamaralexander.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Lamar Alexander with Senate Republicans, 07/16/09]]In 2002, Lamar Alexander ran for the open seat of retiring Senator [[Fred Thompson]]. Seen as a moderate Republican by Tennessee standards, his candidacy for the GOP nomination was challenged by conservatives who supported Congressman Ed Bryant. However, Alexander went on to win the Republican primary and the general election. Making him the only Tennessean ever to be popularly elected both governor and United States Senator. Alexander was easily reelected in 2008 with 67% of the vote. Senator Alexander is the third ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. He serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee responsible for overseeing the Tennessee Valley Authority as well as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and is a member of the Senate Rules committee. In the 110th Congress, Alexander unsuccessfully ran for Senate Minority Whip, losing by one vote to Senator [[Trent Lott]] of [[Mississippi]].