Governor of Tennessee
Even though the Tennessee State Constitution had been amended in early 1978 to allow a governor to succeed himself, Blanton chose not to seek re-election, due to a number of scandals. Alexander once again ran for governor, and made a name for himself by walking 1000 mi (1600 km) across the state wearing a red and black plaid shirt. He defeated Knoxville banker Jake Butcher in the November election.
In early 1979, a furor ensued over pardons made by Blanton. Since the state constitution is somewhat vague on when a governor must be sworn in, several political leaders from both parties, including Lieutenant Governor John S. Wilder and State House Speaker Ned McWherter, arranged for Alexander to be sworn in on January 16, 1979, three days earlier than the traditional inauguration day. Wilder later called the move "impeachment Tennessee-style."
Alexander made history by becoming the first Tennessee governor reelected to a second four-year term (after the 1978 amendment, see above) by defeating Knoxville mayor Randy Tyree in the 1982 election, carrying almost 70% of Knox County. Since that time, every Tennessee Governor has been elected to consecutive terms. During his second term, he served as chairman of the National Governors Association from 1985 to 1986. After opting out of the 1984 U.S. Senate contest for the open seat of retiring Majority Leader Howard Baker, Alexander was constitutionally ineligible for a third term and stepped down from the governorship in January 1987.
Read more about this topic: Lamar Alexander
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