Bayard was born in Wilmington, Delaware, son of U.S. Senator Thomas F. Bayard, Jr. and Elizabeth Bradford du Pont Bayard. He was named after his maternal great-grandfather, Alexis Irénée du Pont. Bayard was the scion of two prominent Delaware families. On his father's side, Alexis descended from the politically powerful Bayard family. The Bayard's had long been bulwarks of Delaware's Democratic Party, with each of the previous five generations of the Bayard family having represented Delaware in the United States Senate. Bayard's mother, Elizabeth Bradford du Pont, was the daughter of Alexis Irénée du Pont, Jr., granddaughter of Alexis Irénée du Pont, and great-grand daughter of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. He was the founder of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, the gunpowder and chemicals company that grew to dominate northern Delaware in the early twentieth century. By this time the du Ponts were a large and enormously wealthy family, many of whom were involved in the political life of Delaware. During the World War II era, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Bayard had studied the law, and upon returning, began a practice in Wilmington, Delaware.
Political career
A war era veteran with a well-known name, the 30-year-old Bayard was elected lieutenant governor in 1948, defeating Republican Chester V. Townsend, Jr. of Dagsboro, who was speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives. He served as lieutenant governor from January 20, 1949, until January 15, 1953. In 1948 he also served as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Bayard lost a bid for a seat in the United States Senate in 1952 to the incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John J. Williams. Bayard's inexperience and aristocratic roots compared unfavorably to Williams' "rags-to-riches" rise from chicken farmer to national figure. These factors, along with Williams' reputation for honesty, integrity, fairness, and bipartisanship in the U.S. Senate and the popularity of the Republicans' U.S. presidential candidate, Dwight D. Eisenhower, led the incumbent to a ten-point victory over Bayard at the polls. After his defeat by Williams, Bayard resumed his law practice and remained an active supporter of the Democratic Party. In 1961 he joined what had been the Herrmann & Duffy law firm in Wilmington; at the time of his death the firm was Bayard, Handelman & Murdoch.
Bayard was the last member of his line to be elected to public office, thus ending a six generation tradition. After his death, the Alexis I. du Pont Bayard Award was created for distinguished service to the party. His son, Richard H. Bayard, has served as Chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party.
Almanac
Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. The Lieutenant Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four-year term.
