Fred Harris, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, presidential candidate, and champion of Democratic Party reforms during the turbulent 1960s, passed away on Saturday at the age of 94. His wife, Margaret Elliston, confirmed his death, though the specific location was not disclosed. Harris had resided in New Mexico since 1976 and was living in Corrales at the time of his death.
Elliston shared that Harris “passed peacefully early this morning of natural causes” and described him as a “wonderful and beloved man” whose memory would be a blessing.
Harris served for eight years in the U.S. Senate, starting in 1964 after winning a special election. He made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1976. As chair of the Democratic National Committee in 1969 and 1970, he played a key role in healing the party’s divisions after the chaotic 1968 convention in Chicago. His reforms led to greater representation for women and minorities as delegates and in leadership positions.
Harris ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976 but dropped out after poor performances in early contests, including a fourth-place finish in New Hampshire. He later moved to New Mexico and became a political science professor at the University of New Mexico. In addition to his academic work, he authored over a dozen books, primarily on politics and Congress.
Throughout his political career, Harris was a strong advocate for civil rights and anti-poverty programs aimed at helping minorities and the disadvantaged. The Democratic Party of New Mexico hailed him as a pioneer for progressive values and a champion of equity and opportunity.
Harris was also deeply involved in Native American issues, particularly through his first marriage to LaDonna Vita Crawford, a Comanche. He identified as a populist and progressive, opposing the concentration of power and the influence of money in politics.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham praised Harris for his contributions to both the state and the nation, calling him “a decent, honorable man” who led with warmth and generosity. Harris was also a member of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, known as the Kerner Commission, which investigated urban riots in the late 1960s. The commission’s 1968 report famously warned of a nation divided by race.
Born on November 13, 1930, in a modest farmhouse in southwestern Oklahoma, Harris rose from humble beginnings. He worked on the farm as a child and later supported himself through part-time jobs while earning his degree in political science and law at the University of Oklahoma. After serving in the Oklahoma state Senate, he made his mark in national politics in 1964, winning a seat in the U.S. Senate.
His second wife, Margaret Elliston, and other family members survive Harris. His first wife, LaDonna, and their three children predeceased him.
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