Nancy Kassebaum Baker, former US senator from Kansas, dies aged 94
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, the first woman elected to the US Senate without succeeding a spouse, has died at age 94. A moderate Republican from Kansas, she was known for her bipartisan work and commitment to public service.
Why it matters
Her career marked a significant milestone for women in American politics and demonstrated the impact of bipartisan cooperation in the Senate.
Nancy Kassebaum Baker in Washington DC on 21 March 2012. Nancy Kassebaum Baker in Washington DC on 21 March 2012. US politics 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
Prefer the Guardian on Google 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.
“She loved Kansas. She loved people from Kansas and representing Kansas for 18 years in the US Senate ,” he told the Associated Press. “She was an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party.”
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