Thomas Alexander | |
---|---|
2nd President of the South Carolina Senate | |
Assumed office December 6, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Harvey S. Peeler Jr. |
Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 1st district | |
Assumed office 1994 | |
Preceded by | Alexander Macaulay |
Member of the South CarolinaHouseofRepresentatives from the 1st district | |
In office 1987–1994 | |
Preceded by | Marshall Cleveland |
Succeeded by | Bradley Cain |
Personal details | |
Born | Seneca,South Carolina,U.S. | July 25,1956
Political party | Democratic (Before 1996) Republican (1996–present) |
Spouse | Lynda Gibson |
Parent(s) | Virginia C. and Claude N. Alexander |
Residence | Walhalla,South Carolina |
Education | Anderson University (AA,1976) Clemson University (BS,1978) |
Thomas C. Alexander (born July 25,1956) is an American businessman who is currently serving as the President of the South Carolina Senate. [1] Since 1996,he has served S.C. Senate District 1 as a Republican. [2] Alexander served as an honorary chair of the 2023 Inauguration Committee for Governor Henry McMaster. [3]
Alexander started his political career on the Walhalla City Council in 1982. [4] His father,Claude Alexander,similarly served on that same council. In 1985,Alexander was elected Mayor Pro Tempore. [5]
Alexander was first elected as a Democrat to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1986 [6] After M. Duke Cleveland faced an initial set of four primary challengers, [7] Alexander defeated the incumbent directly in a runoff. [8]
For details on individual elections,see:
He represented State House District 1 of Oconee and Pickens Counties through 1994. [5] [12] During 1992 and 1993,he served as Chairman of the House Committee on Labor,Commerce and Industry. [13] [14]
In 1991,South Carolina's auto-insurance system,known as the "mandate-to-write" law,faced further criticism from citizens about rising costs. Alexander,then chairmen of committees in the House that deal with insurance,spoke in favor of rethinking a new system for car insurance in the state. [15] However,even as late as 1993,this issue was untouched,despite much government effort spent on discussing restructuring. [16]
In 1992,he voted in favor of extending the lifetime of a nuclear waste landfill in Barnwell County. [17]
In 1994,Alexander was elected to the South Carolina Senate to represent S.C. Senate District 1 in a special election,again as a Democrat. [18] However,in 1996,he switched parties,joining the Republican Party. This was announced when he filed for re-election in the Republican primary instead of the Democratic one. [19]
Alexander has frequently run in his district uncontested including in 2020 [20] and 2024. [21] His latest challenger,Constitution Party candidate Polly Nicolay,sought to defeat him in 2008. He won,receiving 85% of the vote. [22]
See his senate results in detail:
Following redistricting after the 2020 US Census,S.C. Senate District 1 covers Oconee County and a portion of Pickens County. [2]
As of April 2024 [update] , Alexander chairs the Interstate Cooperation Committee and the Legislative Oversight Committee. He also sits on the Banking and Insurance Committee, the Ethics Committee, the Finance Committee, the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, and the Medical Affairs Committee. In the past, he has also chaired the Finance Committee [31] and the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. [2]
Alexander serves as Vice-Chair of the College and University Trustee Screening Commission, a Joint Committee with members from the House and Senate. [32]
When the Upstate had an uptick in bear removal requests in 2001, Alexander proposed a bill that would legalize the shooting of bears that threaten "property, crops, people, or pets." He later acknowledged his bill to have been too broad in scope. [33]
In 2002, Alexander attempted to get a do-not-call law passed but found the bill stalled by extensive lobbying from banks, insurance companies, and credit card companies. [34]
In 2008, Alexander sponsored legislation to raise the state tax on cigarettes from 45 to 57 cents to raise funds for programs to help curtail smoking and health insurance. [35]
On December 6, 2021, Alexander was sworn in as the 2nd President of the South Carolina Senate. [5] His time as President has overseen several events of note:
In 2023, he introduced 12 bills to the Senate, though none became law. [42] That year, he had also been a strong supporter of bipartisan efforts to crack down on the growing youth vaping epidemic in the state. [43] He also played a role in passing legislation for a statewide plan to address issues related to Alzheimer's and dementia. [44]
Alexander is pro-life. [41] He has voted in favor of South Carolina's heartbeat bills. [40]
He wants harsher penalties for fentanyl dealers, [47] [48] [49] and he is against medical marijuana legislation. [50] [51]
Alexander and his wife Lynda live in Walhalla, South Carolina. [2] They have three children and 13 grandchildren. [5] Alexander and his wife are Presbyterian, attending the historic church, the Walhalla Presbyterian Church. [52]
Alexander received an associate degree from Anderson University in 1976 and a bachelor's degree in economics from Clemson University in 1978. In 2014, the Clemson Alumni Association awarded him the 2014 Distinguished Service Award. [52]
Previously, Alexander owned an office supplies store, Alexander's Office Supply, until 2022 when he sold it. New ownership changed its name to Alexander's Work & Wander. [53] While owner of Alexander's Office Supply, he published several historical books written by Rev. George Shealy such as a book about the founder of Walhalla, Johann Andreas Wagener, [54] and a book about the Mollohon Mill Village. [55]
He is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a conservative lobbying group. [56] [57] He is the Vice Chairman of the Blue Ridge Bank.
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