Leonard Ray Blanton

Democrat Representative of Tennessee's 7th district

Representative
Tennessee, district 7
January 10, 1967 - January 3, 1969
Representative
Tennessee, district 7
January 3, 1969 - January 3, 1971
Representative
Tennessee, district 7
January 21, 1971 - January 3, 1973

Congresses Served

House Terms

April 10, 1930 (66 years old)

Birthday

November 22, 1996

Death

Served as the 44th governor of Tennessee from 1975 to 1979.
Served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967 to 1973.
Initiated government reforms and attracted foreign investment to Tennessee.
Term as governor was overshadowed by scandals involving the selling of pardons and liquor licenses.
Born and raised in a sharecropping family with road-building interests.
Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Tennessee.
Elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1964.
Focused on constituent services and funding for projects in Tennessee as a congressman.
Did not seek reelection to Congress in 1972, instead ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.
Won the governorship in 1974, defeating several opponents in the Democratic primary and Republican Lamar Alexander in the general election.
Called for a state income tax, which was rejected by the state legislature; instead, the state sales tax was raised.
Made several trips abroad to recruit foreign industrial and trade opportunities.
Administration accused of extravagant spending and involved in several scandals, including the “surplus car scandal.”
Fired the chairwoman of the state’s Board of Pardons and Paroles for refusing to release prisoners who had allegedly bribed state officials for pardons.
Issued controversial pardons at the end of his term, leading to an early swearing-in of his successor to prevent further damage.
Convicted and served time in federal prison for selling liquor licenses.
Spent his later years attempting to clear his name and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988.
Died in 1996 while awaiting a liver transplant.
Portion of his story, particularly the pardons scandal, was adapted into a book and a movie titled “Marie.”
Married twice and had three children with his first wife.