Rodney Alexander
Rodney McKinnie Alexander | |
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Secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs | |
In office September 30, 2013 – June 3, 2014 | |
Governor | Bobby Jindal |
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Preceded by | David LaCerte (interim) |
Succeeded by | David LaCerte (interim) |
U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district
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In office January 3, 2003 – September 26, 2013 | |
Preceded by | John Cooksey |
Succeeded by | Vance McAllister |
Louisiana State Representative for District 13 (Bienville, Jackson, and Winn parishes)
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In office 1988–2002 | |
Preceded by | Mike Tinnerello |
Succeeded by | James R. Fannin |
Jackson Parish Police Juror
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In office 1972–1988 | |
Born | December 5, 1946 Bienville, Louisiana, USA |
Nationality | American |
Political party | Democrat-turned-Republican (2004) |
Spouse(s) | Nancy Sutton Alexander |
Children | Three children |
Alma mater | Louisiana Tech University University of Louisiana at Monroe |
Occupation | Businessman United States Air Force Reserve (1965-1971) |
Religion | Southern Baptist |
Rodney McKinnie Alexander (born December 5, 1946) is a Democrat-turned-Republican former member of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana's Fifth Congressional District, which encompasses more than twenty parishes from north of Monroe to south of Alexandria.
A native of Bienville Parish who was reared and resides in adjoining Jackson Parish, Alexander was elected to Congress in 2002 as a Democrat in a narrow victory over the late Lee Fletcher, a Monroe Republican who had been chief of staff to outgoing Republican Representative John Cooksey, a Monroe physician. In August 2004, Alexander switched to the Republican Party and soon won an overwhelming victory over the late Jock Scott, a lawyer and college professor from Alexandria and like Alexander a convert to the GOP.
Prior to his congressional service, Alexander was a member of the Jackson Parish Police Jury from 1972 to 1988, when he entered the Louisiana House of Representatives and served for fourteen consecutive years.
Alexander won his fifth and sixth terms in 2010 and 2012 with minimal opposition. He suddenly resigned his seat in the fall of 2013 and briefly joined the administration of Governor Bobby Jindal as the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.