March 16, 1999
By
Stacy Green
CyberCaucus 2000 News Service
Drake University
Lamar Alexander ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996. He went into the Iowa caucuses a virtual unknown and finished third, defeating hopefuls Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas and publisher Steve Forbes.
Now, Alexander is priming for the 2000 caucuses. With former Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad as the national chairman for the 2000 campaign, Alexander is hoping to improve his '96 showing.
Alexander's campaign focuses on three main areas: public education; improving family incomes by lowering taxes and securing Social Security; and strengthening the national defense. Above all, according to Branstad, Alexander wants to establish a government that is on the side of parents raising children.
Alexander began his career in 1962 at Vanderbilt University where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. In 1965, Alexander received his law degree at New York University. In 1974, he became governor of Tennessee and at the request of the U.S. attorney, was sworn in three days early, on January 17, 1974, in reaction to the possibility that current Gov. Ray Blanton would grant clemency to prisoners.
"He served two terms as governor of Tennessee," Branstad said, "and cleaned up the office."
Alexander's two terms were a time of economic growth, with the focus on the future of the state, according to his official site on the Internet. Thousands of new jobs were created with the opening of a Nissan factory and the announcement of the Saturn plant at Spring Hill, the site states.
Alexander also focused on education. He created a master teachers program and a better schools program to improve public education, as well as Centers of Excellence and Chairs of Excellence to enhance research and public service at the state's public universities, according to his Internet site.
"Education is his passion," Branstad said. "He was the first governor to reward good teachers and to bring the improvement of education to a priority in the governors' association."
Alexander's Tennessee Homecoming '86 was a statewide year-long celebration of the state's heritage. The program proved to be extremely popular, as 812 communities across Tennessee launched special projects and publications about state and local heritage, the Internet site reported.
From 1988 to 1991, Alexander served as president of the University of Tennessee.
In 1991, he was appointed sercretary of education by President George Bush. Alexander supported voluntary national education standards, a prohibition of race-based scholarships at colleges and universities and America 2000, a program to achieve goals established by President Bush and the nation's governors.
Alexander decided to run for the Republican nomination in 1995 and made his surprise showing at the 1996 Iowa caucuses, coming in third.
"You have to come in at least third to be viable after Iowa, " Branstad said. "That was a surprise, and we are working in a strong grassroots movement to finish even better in 2000."