Royal Alexander
| Richard Royal Alexander | |
|---|---|
_0138.JPG) Alexander (2016) | |
| Born |
February 1966 Shreveport, Louisiana, USA |
| Alma mater |
Louisiana State University in Shreveport |
| Occupation | Attorney; former congressional staffer |
| Political party | Republican candidate for Louisiana attorney general in 2007 |
Richard Royal Alexander (born February 1966)[1] is an attorney and politician in his native Shreveport, Louisiana, who in 2007 was the Republican-endorsed candidate for state attorney general.
Education and career
The fifth of twelve children born to a prominent Shreveport businessman, Alexander was educated in private elementary and secondary schools. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. He obtained his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law where he served on Law Review and Moot Court, both intramural and on the Benton National Moot Court Team.[2] He was a law clerk to Judge Rebecca F. Doherty of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. An appointee of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Doherty is based in Lafayette and Opelousas. Himself a former administrative law judge, Alexander has also been in private practice, handling both criminal and civil cases.[3]
Alexander was chief of staff to former U.S. Representative Rodney Alexander of Louisiana's 5th congressional district. The two are unrelated. In 2006, the Democrats in Washington, D.C., accused Royal Alexander and several others, including members of Congress, of having acted too slowly regarding the disclosure of the name of the congressional page who was sent inappropriate email messages by then U.S. Representative Mark Foley of Florida. (The page lived in Rodney Alexander's House district.) Evidence showed that Royal Alexander reported the inappropriate email messages to the staff of House leadership upon his learning of the information. The matter quickly died after the 2006 congressional election, in which Democrats gained control of both houses of Congress.
Alexander was a staff member to the late U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway of Louisiana's 8th congressional district, since disbanded, who also served as Chairman of the Louisiana Public Service Commission[4]
Race for attorney general
A first-time candidate for public office in 2007, Alexander finished second to James D. "Buddy" Caldwell, then a Democrat, in the nonpartisan blanket primary for state attorney general. Alexander outpolled incumbent Democrat Charles Foti of New Orleans for the right to enter the general election against Caldwell, a five-term district attorney from Tallulah in northeast Louisiana.
Caldwell received 477,574 votes, Alexander 395,645 votes and Foti (previously the long-time sheriff of Orleans Parish) finished with 389,658. With only four weeks between the primary and the general election, the traditional Democratic political machine of sheriffs and district attorneys flocked to fellow Democrat Caldwell. Alexander was defeated in the second round of balloting when Foti's base switched to Caldwell. In 2011, Caldwell switched his affiliation to the Republican Party and won a second term.
Alexander's primary strength was demonstrated in Shreveport, Alexandria, and Monroe.
Civic Activities
Royal Alexander remains active in public life. He is a frequent lecturer to various civic and educational organizations regarding the United States Constitution. He also serves as an occasional media guest giving analysis on current political and social issues as they relate to the U.S. Constitution.