Lamar Alexander through the years
› July 3, 1940: Alexander born in Maryville, Tennessee, to an elementary school principal and a preschool teacher.
› 1960s: Attends Vanderbilt University, writes editorials for student newspaper advocating integration of undergraduate school. Graduates New York University Law School in 1965.
› 1965-66: Messenger and law clerk for Hon. John Minor Wisdom, 8th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals.
› 1966: Works for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Howard Baker’s successful campaign. Becomes Baker’s legislative assistant (1967-68).
› 1969: Marries Leslee “Honey” Buhler. The couple go on to have four children and nine grandchildren.
› 1969-1970: Staff assistant to President Richard Nixon. Returns home to manage Republican gubernatorial candidate Winfield Dunn’s successful 1970 campaign.
› 1974: Republican nominee for governor, loses to Democrat Ray Blanton.
› 1978: Runs for governor, walks 1,022 miles in stages across Tennessee. Wins, sworn into office by Democratic legislative leaders three days early on Jan. 17, 1979, replacing scandal-plagued Blanton.
› 1978-1980: Successfully persuades Nissan to locate auto assembly plant in Smyrna. In 1985, lands General Motors’ Saturn plant for Spring Hill.
› 1983-84: Persuades Democratic lawmakers to approve his pioneering Career Ladder program with merit pay for teachers.
› 1988-1991: President, University of Tennessee.
› 1991-93: U.S. Secretary of Education for President George H.W. Bush.
› 1995-96: Runs unsuccessfully for Republican presidential nomination.
› 1999-2000: Runs unsuccessfully for Republican presidential nomination.
› 2002: Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2002, wins re-election in 2008, 2014.
› 2020: Current chairman of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee and chairman of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee.
› 2020: Votes no on convicting President Donald Trump on articles of impeachment. On Nov. 20 acknowledges “apparent” Democrat Biden victory in Nov. 3 election, urges Trump to begin delayed transition process while pursuing legal remedies.