Former Colorado Sen Ben Nighthorse Campbell dies at 92, household says

[ad_1] NEW Now you can take heed to Fox Information articles!

Former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado died on Tuesday on the age of 92, in line with his household.

Campbell died of pure causes surrounded by his household, his daughter Shanan Campbell, introduced. He's survived by his spouse Linda, their two youngsters, Shanan and Colin, in addition to 4 grandchildren.

Initially a Democrat, Campbell switched to the Republican Party in 1995 whereas serving within the U.S. Senate, a seat he held from 1993 till his retirement in 2005 resulting from well being causes.

Earlier than serving within the Senate, he held workplace within the U.S. Home and the Colorado Home.

TATIANA SCHLOSSBERG, JFK'S GRANDDAUGHTER, DIES AT 35 AFTER YEAR-AND-A-HALF LEUKEMIA BATTLE

Former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado died on Tuesday on the age of 92. (AP)

The primary Native American to serve in each the U.S. Home and U.S. Senate, Campbell was identified for his passionate advocacy of Native American points in addition to his costume apparel, which included cowboy boots, bolo ties and a ponytail.

He was a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe and mentioned his ancestors had been amongst greater than 150 Native Individuals, principally girls, youngsters and aged males, killed by U.S. troopers whereas camped below a flag of truce on Nov. 29, 1864. He helped sponsor laws to improve the Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Monument in southern Colorado, the place the killings occurred, to a nationwide park.

Campbell was additionally a robust supporter of kids's rights, organized labor and financial conservatism.

A famend grasp jeweler, Campbell has designs displayed on the Smithsonian Establishment's Nationwide Museum of the American Indian.

"He was a grasp jeweler with a popularity far past the boundaries of Colorado . I can't overlook his acts of kindness. He shall be sorely missed," Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, mentioned on X.

Colorado Democrat Gov. Jared Polis ordered flags to be lowered to half workers from dawn to sundown on the day of Campbell's service.

"He shall be missed right here in Colorado and throughout the nation, and his contributions depart an enduring legacy to our state and nation," Polis mentioned on X.

Former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell died of pure causes surrounded by his household. (AP)

Born April 13, 1933, in Auburn, California, Campbell additionally served within the Air Pressure throughout the Korean Battle.

He acquired a bachelor’s diploma from San Jose State College in 1957. He additionally attended Meiji College in Tokyo from 1960 to 1964, was captain of the U.S. judo crew on the 1964 Olympics and received a gold medal within the Pan American Video games.

Moreover, he labored as a deputy sheriff in Sacramento County, California, coached the U.S. nationwide judo crew, operated his personal dojo in Sacramento and taught highschool lessons.

Campbell was additionally a motorcycle-rider and cattle rancher, and he was inducted into the AMA Bike Corridor of Fame.

The previous lawmaker has pushed the Capitol Christmas Tree throughout the nation to Washington, D.C., on a number of events.

"He was actually certainly one of a form, and I'm considering of his household within the wake of his loss," Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat, mentioned on X.

Campbell based Ben Nighthorse Consultants, a lobbying agency that targeted on federal coverage, together with Native American affairs and pure assets, following his retirement from public workplace. He additionally continued to design and craft American Indian jewellery after leaving Congress.

MIKE CASTLE, DELAWARE'S LAST REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR AND CONGRESSMAN, DEAD AT 86

<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/343/192/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/686/384/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/672/378/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1344/756/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1862/1046/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/720/405/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/12/1440/810/ben-nighthorse-campbell-dies-92-colorado-senator-native-american.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was the primary Native American to serve in each the U.S. Home and U.S. Senate. (AP)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Though he switched to the Republican Social gathering in March 1995 after changing into offended with Democrats for killing a balanced-budget modification within the Senate, Campbell mentioned his ideas by no means modified.

"It didn’t change me. I didn’t change my voting file. As an illustration, I had a sterling voting file as a Democrat on labor. I nonetheless do as a Republican. And on minorities and ladies’s points," he as soon as mentioned.

A social liberal and financial conservative, Campbell's social gathering swap outraged Democrat leaders .

"I get hammered from the extremes," he mentioned shortly after the swap. "I’m at all times prepared to pay attention ... however I simply don’t assume you will be all issues to all individuals, regardless of which social gathering you’re in."