From low income single mother to state senator

January 18th, 20190 LANSING — Betty Jean Alexander worked as a clerical specialist at the Wayne County Clerk’s office this time last year. She made $16 an hour, qualified for food stamps and took the bus to work. Now, after a surprising primary election win last fall, the 53-year-old Detroiter and single mother of two daughters is a state senator....

Little-known candidate unseats Knezek in Fifth Senate District

August 12th, 20180 DETROIT — Tuesday’s election brought to light a previously unknown political candidate with a questionable past, who unseated a usually popular state lawmaker. Betty Jean Alexander, a 53-year-old Detroiter, won the race with 54.5 percent of the vote after signing a waiver saying she wouldn’t spend more than $1,000 on her...