
(Congress Bio Directory)
Alexander won election to the House as a Democrat in 2002, but since abruptly switching to the GOP in 2004, he has left his former party far behind. The Louisiana congressman has become a reliable Republican vote over the last five years, mixing socially-conservative policy stances with a staunch opposition to higher taxes and government spending.
A longtime state legislator in Louisiana, Alexander captured the 5th House district in 2002 with support from the Democratic Party apparatus and the state's two Democratic senators, John Breaux and Mary Landrieu. He voted often against his party from the start, particularly in opposing abortion rights and gun control. But it was not until 15 minutes before the 2004 ballot qualifying period ended that he filed to become a Republican.
Alexander's first political experience was at age 25, when he joined his father, James Earl Alexander, on the Jackson Parish Police jury.
In 1988, he was elected to the Louisiana House as a Democrat, where he would serve for the next 15 years. He became chairman of the state House Health and Welfare Committee, where he helped pass the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program, similar to the national program.
Even before becoming a Republican in 2004, Alexander had a conservative voting record. He is against abortion rights and for gun control. He supported the GOP's 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit and extending the 2001 George W. Bush tax cuts. He also opposed the March 2010 health-care reform bill.
In the 111th Congress (2009-2010), he had voted with House Republicans 94.1 percent of the time through August 2010.
Alexander belongs to a number of caucuses, including the Congressional Sportsman Caucus and the all-GOP Immigration Reform Caucus.
He is also a member of Rep. Michelle Bachmann's (R-Minn.) House Tea Party Caucus, along with Louisiana GOP Reps. Steve Scalise and John Fleming.
- Alexander web site, Immigration, accessed Sept. 10, 2010
- Alexander web site, Energy, accessed Sept. 10, 2010
- Washington Post Votes database
- Press release, June 30, 2010
- Press Release July 21, 2010
- Alexander web site, Economy and Taxes, accessed Sept. 10, 2010
- Alexander biography, House web site, accessed Sept. 10, 2010
- Alexander web site, Social Security and Retirement Security, accessed Sept. 10,2010
- Press Release, June 15, 2010
- National Journal, Almanac of American Politics, 2010 edition
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