The Hill wrote about how thirty-six years ago, Lamar Alexander walked across the state in his first successful bid for governor, donning his now-iconic red and black plaid shirt.
The Senator is now 74-years-old and he no longer in his pickup but is moving more in style, making the trek across Tennessee by bus as he faces what could be his toughest GOP race yet.
Known simply as Lamar around these parts, the former governor, U.S. secretary of Education, two-time presidential candidate and now two-term senator, is undoubtedly an institution.
But as the Republican Party nationwide and even in Tennessee has changed, there’s a growing voice that the senator hasn’t and needs to go.
Alexander certainly has the heavy edge heading into the August 7 primary, where he faces six opponents. Chief among them is state Rep. Joe Carr, who’s tried to latch onto the Tea Party fervor to oust the incumbent.
Carr has gotten the endorsements of conservative radio icon Laura Ingraham, who hosted a rally for him in Nashville this week, urging a crowd to retire Alexander like an “old sweater.”
He also netted the backing of former 2008 vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who wrote that “advocating and voting for amnesty, cash for clunkers, bailouts, raising the debt ceiling, and many controversial Obama administration nominees has marred the incumbent’s record.”
But without significant monetary help from powerful national groups, the challenger’s hopes are unlikely to bring down the muscle Alexander still commands throughout the state.
Click the link to read all about his record....