Nancy Kassebaum Baker, trailblazing GOP senator who broke barriers for women in Congress, dead at 94
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, the trailblazing Kansas Republican who became the first woman elected to the US Senate without a husband having previously served in Congress, has died aged 94. Her death marks the passing of a figure known for independent-minded politics, willing to break with her own party when she felt principle demanded it, during a Senate career that spanned nearly two decades.
Kassebaum Baker was elected to the Senate in 1978 and served three terms, leaving office in 1997 after 18 years representing Kansas. Her son, Bill Kassebaum, told the Associated Press she died on Friday of natural causes, praising her devotion to the state and its people. She was the daughter of former Kansas Governor Alf Landon, who was the Republican Party's unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1936.
- Former Kansas Senator Nancy Kassebaum Baker dies aged 94
- First woman elected to Senate without a husband's prior seat
- Served three terms, 1978 to 1997, as independent-minded Republican
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Nancy Kassebaum Baker represented Kansas as a Republican in the US Senate from 1978 to 1997. When she was first elected, she was notable for reaching the Senate on her own political record, rather than following a husband who had previously held office there, a route several earlier women senators had taken.
She was the daughter of Alf Landon, a former Kansas governor who ran unsuccessfully for president as the Republican candidate in 1936, giving her a family background already tied to the party. During her own Senate career she gained a reputation for independent judgement, sometimes voting against her party when she disagreed with its position, and for her focus on Kansas and its residents.
Her death was confirmed by her son, Bill Kassebaum, who said she died of natural causes and spoke of her dedication to the state she represented for nearly two decades.