Ben Nighthorse Campbell, former U.S. senator and Native American, dies at 92

Former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Northern Cheyenne tribal main who became a salient American politician, has died. He was 92.

His girl Shanan Campbell confirmed to CBS News that her begetter died Tuesday astatine his location connected a ranch successful southwestern Colorado surrounded by household members.  

Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell successful 2003 Craig F. Walker/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Campbell served successful Colorado's legislature delegation crossed 3 antithetic decades. He started retired arsenic a subordinate of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives successful the 1980s. In the mid-1990s, 3 years aft his predetermination to the U.S. Senate, helium decided to permission the Democrats and power to the Republican Party. He served 2 presumption arsenic legislator and past retired successful the 2000s due to the fact that of what helium said were concerns astir his health.

Campbell was known for his advocacy of Native American issues. He said his ancestors were among much than 150 Native Americans, mostly women, children and aged men, killed by U.S. soldiers portion camped nether a emblem of truce connected Nov. 29, 1864. He helped sponsor authorities upgrading the Great Sand Dunes National Monument successful confederate Colorado, wherever the massacre happened, to a nationalist park.

His abrupt determination to power parties successful 1995 stunned Democratic leaders arsenic good arsenic his Colorado constituents. He was aggravated with Democrats astatine the clip for sidesplitting a balanced-budget amendment successful the Senate.

After helium retired, helium focused partially connected the Native American jewelry that helped marque him affluent and was enactment connected show astatine the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian.

Sen. John Hickenlooper, Colorado's inferior U.S. senator, was among those who shared remembrances of Campbell aft learning the news.

"He was a maestro jeweler with a estimation acold beyond the boundaries of Colorado. I volition not hide his acts of kindness. He volition beryllium sorely missed," Hickenlooper said connected X.

Rep. Diana DeGette said connected X: "He was genuinely 1 of a kind, and I americium reasoning of his household successful the aftermath of his loss."

Shanan Campbell confirmed that Cambell's woman "of astir 60 years," Linda Campbell, was among those who were with him erstwhile helium died.