vcczar Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN-R) is up next. Here are his actions: Alexander, Lamar 1987 Ends 8-years as Gov of TN; created TN education model favored by GOP; raises national profile Alexander, Lamar 1988 Considered frontrunner for VP Rep nom, but Bush surprised convention w/ Quayle Alexander, Lamar 1990 Appt Sec of Education by Bush Alexander, Lamar 1996 Runs for GOP nomination Alexander, Lamar 2000 Runs for GOP nomination Alexander, Lamar 2007 Senate Republican Conference Chairman Alexander, Lamar 2009 Broke w/ party to help confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the SC Alexander, Lamar 2013 20 TN Tea Party groups protest Alexander's bid for reelection, citing bipartisanship Alexander, Lamar 2015 Introduces Every Student Succeeds Act, which is signed by Obama Alexander, Lamar 2015 Senate Health Committee Chair during attempts to repeal Obamacare occur and during peak COVID Alexander, Lamar 2020 Considered possible swing vote during Trump's 1st impeachment, but voted w/ rest of GOP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConservativeElector2 Posted September 8 Share Posted September 8 26 minutes ago, vcczar said: Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN-R) is up next. Here are his actions: Alexander, Lamar 1987 Ends 8-years as Gov of TN; created TN education model favored by GOP; raises national profile Alexander, Lamar 1988 Considered frontrunner for VP Rep nom, but Bush surprised convention w/ Quayle Alexander, Lamar 1990 Appt Sec of Education by Bush Alexander, Lamar 1996 Runs for GOP nomination Alexander, Lamar 2000 Runs for GOP nomination Alexander, Lamar 2007 Senate Republican Conference Chairman Alexander, Lamar 2009 Broke w/ party to help confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the SC Alexander, Lamar 2013 20 TN Tea Party groups protest Alexander's bid for reelection, citing bipartisanship Alexander, Lamar 2015 Introduces Every Student Succeeds Act, which is signed by Obama Alexander, Lamar 2015 Senate Health Committee Chair during attempts to repeal Obamacare occur and during peak COVID Alexander, Lamar 2020 Considered possible swing vote during Trump's 1st impeachment, but voted w/ rest of GOP Is there a reason given in the book you read, why Alexander was considered a frontrunner for VP in 1988? I assume it's because of the actions you wrote besides 1987, but is that really enough to be seen as a frontrunner? The regional advantage for Bush (TX) to pick Alexander (TN) would have been meagre. Have both been ideological more different than one would assume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcczar Posted September 8 Author Share Posted September 8 47 minutes ago, ConservativeElector2 said: Is there a reason given in the book you read, why Alexander was considered a frontrunner for VP in 1988? I assume it's because of the actions you wrote besides 1987, but is that really enough to be seen as a frontrunner? The regional advantage for Bush (TX) to pick Alexander (TN) would have been meagre. Have both been ideological more different than one would assume? It's not much different than Clinton (AR) and Gore (TN) in 1992. By 1988, region-balancing tickets were being replaced by ideological-balancing tickets. Bush was seen a more moderate, establishment experienced Republican. Quayle was seen as more of a precursor of Palin--more conservative, populist, and younger than Bush--although by no means as much as Palin was. The people that would become Tea Party people & evangelical voters favored someone like Quayle more than GHW Bush. But to your question, the book doesn't mention why he was the frontrunner, but I have a vague memory of reading it elsewhere in one or more places. I suspect it is because he was a popular two-term governor who was at his moment. If Bush weren't running, then Alexander probably would have. GOP insiders would have thought Bush and Alexander would be an unstoppable ticket. Also, a governor is almost always considered a "government outsider," which is something the ticket needed after Iran-Contra. Alexander also isn't someone that's going to outshine Bush. Quayle could have outshined Bush he was capable of intelligent speaking. I think Bush wanted someone that wasn't a threat and could appeal to GOP voters that are only lukewarm to Bush prior to the GOP. Alexander and Bush were ideologically too similar, but that doesn't often matter. Clinton/Gore and Bush/Cheney were ideologically similar and regionally similar (both Bush and Cheney lived in my neighborhood in Dallas at the same time btw, and when I lived there, but I didn't know it at the time. Too young). The Dukakis/Bentsen ticket is one of the last tickets to make a concerted effort at regional balance (MA & TX). They were trying to redo the JFK/LBJ alliance (Boston to Austin). Dole/Kemp and Kerry/Edwards may be the last real regional balancing tickets, where that seemed like the priority. The both lost. Carter/Mondale is probably the last successful mostly regional balancing ticket than ideological (1976). Even Reagan/Bush was more ideological than regional. I don't know the answer for sure, but I'm quessing it's along these lines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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