On October 9, 1989, the Daily Beacon reported that President Alexander had responded to attempts by Democratic lawmakers to limit his out-of-state political activities by saying that he would give up the job of UT president if the lawmakers limited his out-of-state activity on behalf of the Republican Party.
He subsequently explained that he had agreed with the board of trustees when hired that he would not be active in Tennessee Republican politics. In early October, three key Democrats had met with UT Board of Trustees’ Vice Chairman Bill Johnson, criticizing Alexander’s participation in a national Young Republicans convention in Nashville, as well as his plan to cohost the Southern Republican Exchange in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Alexander indicated later in the week that he loved his job and did not intend to leave—that he thought his activities were beneficial to UT and that both the UT Board of Trustees and Governor McWherter considered his actions appropriate.