1. Moses Alexander was an American businessman and politician who served as the 11th governor of Idaho, the second elected Jewish governor of a US state, and the first who actually practiced that religion.
16 Facts About Moses Alexander
1. 2.
Moses Alexander served from 1915 until 1919, and remains the state's sole Jewish chief executive.
3.
In Chillicothe, Moses Alexander showed an early interest in Democratic politics, particularly within the progressive wing of the party.
4.
In 1891, Moses Alexander left Chillicothe with the intention of moving to Alaska.
5.
In 1895, Moses Alexander led an effort to build the Ahavath Beth Israel, the first synagogue in Idaho.
6.
Moses Alexander chose not to run for reelection in 1899, but was elected again in 1901.
7.
In 1908, Moses Alexander was declared the Democratic nominee for governor in a bitterly contested nomination process which required intervention by the Idaho Supreme Court.
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Pancho Villa 8.
Moses Alexander was offered the nomination again in 1910, but declined due to poor health.
9.
In 1914, Moses Alexander entered the gubernatorial race on a platform strongly supporting prohibition and limited government spending.
10.
Moses Alexander thus became the first observant Jew to be elected governor of a US state.
11.
Moses Alexander continued to be an ardent prohibition supporter even though bootlegging became common practice in Idaho in the ensuing years.
12.
Moses Alexander pledged state militia troops to both the war cause and to the Mexican Expedition against Pancho Villa and ordered a home guard into service to protect Idaho.
13.
Moses Alexander was the Democratic nominee for governor again in 1922, but was not able to campaign as vigorously as he had before.
14.
That year, Alexander finished third in the general election behind Republican Charles C Moore and Progressive H F Samuels.
15.
In 1876, Moses Alexander married Helena Kaestner, a Christian immigrant from Germany who converted to Judaism.
16.
Moses Alexander made his last public appearance for the Democrats on December 29,1931, less than a week before his death in Boise.