Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. was born on 3 July 1940, in Maryville, Tennessee USA, of part-Scottish and Irish descent, and is a politician, best known for being the senior US Senator from Tennessee, in which position he has served since 2003 as a member of the Republican Party. All of his efforts have helped put his net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Lamar Alexander? As of mid-2017, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $11.6 million, mostly earned through a successful career in politics, as he was previously the US Secretary of Education, and Governor of Tennessee. As he continues his career, it is expected that his wealth will continue to increase.
Lamar Alexander Net Worth $11.6 million
Lamar attended Maryville High School and during his time there got his first experience in politics as the Class President and Governor of Tennessee Boys State. He also won several competitions as a child, playing country and classical piano.
After matriculating, he attended Vanderbilt University where he studied Latin American History. He was a member of the track and field team, and was also involved in journalism at the school. After graduating in 1962, he then attended the New York University School of Law, and secured his Juris Doctorate three years later.
After completing his law studies, Alexander was a clerk in the US Court of Appeals for a year. In 1967, he then worked as a Legislative Assistant to Senator Howard Baker, and two years later he worked for the executive assistant of Richard Nixon, Bryce Harlow. In 1970, he became a campaign manager for Winfield Dunn’s gubernatorial bid, but afterwards was employed in a Nashville law firm, before seeking nomination for Governor in 1974, which he won as the party’s nomination, but lost to Ray Blanton. He returned to practice law, but then ran once again in 1978, won the nomination and would defeat Jake Butcher in the election. After being inaugurated, he started making numerous changes including establishing an Office of Ombudsman and giving state employees a raise. He ran once again in 1982 and defeated Randy Tyree; the following year, he implemented the “Better Schools” program which helped standardize basic skills for all students.
In 1987, Lamar stepped down from the governorship and then spent six months in Australia. He returned home and became the President of the University of Tennessee, a position he held for three years. In 1991, he was appointed the US Secretary of Education and would approve the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) to help accredit these schools.
He tried unsuccessfully to run for President of the US in 1996 and 2000, then ran for an open seat in the Senate in 2002, and would win against Bob Clement, becoming the first Tennessean to be popularly elected both senator and governor.
As part of the senate, Alexander supported sending troops to Iraq, but did not support President Obama’s health care reform bill for various reasons, including higher state taxes, and in 2013 voted against expanding background checks for gun buyers. However, four years later, he criticized President Donald Trump’s executive order to temporarily curtail immigration from Muslim majority countries.
For his personal life, it is known that Lamar married Leslee Buhler in 1969, and they have four children. The couple met during a softball game for Senate staff members.
