Nancy Kassebaum Baker, former US senator from Kansas, dies aged 94
Kassebaum Baker became the first woman elected to the US Senate without following a spouse into office Nancy Kassebaum Baker, a Kansas governor’s daughter who became the first woman elected to the US Senate without following a spouse into office, has died. She was 94. Kassebaum Baker died on Friday of natural causes, according to her son, Bill Kassebaum. Continue reading...
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, a former US senator from Kansas, has passed away at the age of 94. Born to a Kansas governor, she made history as the first woman elected to the US Senate without following a spouse into office. Serving three terms from 1978, she was known for her independent-minded Republican politics and willingness to stand up for her beliefs, even if it meant going against party lines.
Her modest demeanor endeared her to voters from all political backgrounds. After leaving the Senate in 1997, she continued to engage in public service roles. Kassebaum Baker married Howard Baker, a Tennessee Republican, in 1996, but he passed away in 2014. She remained a respected figure in Kansas, often working across party lines.
In 1996, a health insurance law was named in her honor alongside that of liberal senator Ted Kennedy. She was among the first female senators and the only one to chair a Senate committee. Kassebaum Baker supported progressive causes, such as a ban on assault weapons endorsed by Democratic president Bill Clinton. Despite her moderate-to-liberal stance, she never polarized Kansas conservatives.
She broke ties with the Republican party as it became more conservative, endorsing Democratic candidates for Kansas governor and US senator. She even called for the impeachment of Donald Trump in 2021, expressing concern over the actions of his supporters.
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