Alan J. Dixon
A pragmatic Illinois Democrat known as 'Al the Pal,' whose long Senate career was built on a foundation of retail politics and centrist deal-making.
1927–2014 (age 87)·American politician·Birthday: July 7·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alan Dixon's political story is a classic of Midwestern, ground-level campaigning. He cut his teeth in the Illinois statehouse, mastering the granular details of policy and patronage before winning statewide office as Treasurer and then Secretary of State. In 1980, he rode Ronald Reagan's coattails into the U.S. Senate, one of the few Democrats to survive that Republican wave. In Washington, his affable, unpretentious style earned him the nickname 'Al the Pal' and a reputation as a workhorse, not a showhorse. He occupied the vital center, often crossing the aisle on issues like deregulation and military spending, which sometimes put him at odds with his party's left wing. His career ended unexpectedly with a 1992 primary loss to a more liberal challenger, a sign of shifting political tides, but his three decades of public service embodied an era of hands-on, person-to-person politics.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alan was born in 1927, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1927
#1 Movie
Wings
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1927Born
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1932Started school
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1940Became a teenager
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Could drive
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1945Could vote
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Turned 21
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1957Turned 30
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 40
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 50
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 60
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 70
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 80
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2014Died at 87
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Served as a United States Senator from Illinois for two terms, from 1981 to 1993.
- Was the first Democrat to win a statewide election in Illinois (for Secretary of State) following the Watergate scandal.
- Played a key role in the passage of the 1986 Goldwater–Nichols Act, which reformed the command structure of the U.S. military.
Did You Know?
He was a licensed pilot and often flew himself to campaign events across Illinois.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II, enlisting at age 17.
His surprise loss in the 1992 Democratic primary was to Carol Moseley Braun, who became the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
“I've always found that the best politics is retail politics, meeting people where they live.”
