Former Kansas Senator Nancy Kassebaum Baker Dies at Age 94
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without a spouse’s prior seat, died of natural causes at 94.
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, a Kansas native and the daughter of former Governor Alf Landon, died at 94 from natural causes, according to her son Bill. She broke new ground in 1978 as the first woman to win a U.S. Senate seat without succeeding a husband, serving three terms and leading the Labor and Human Resources Committee. Known for her moderate Republican stance, she supported measures such as the 1996 health-insurance law alongside Democrat Ted Kennedy and voted for an assault-weapons ban.
After retiring in early 1997 she continued public work, married former Senator Howard Baker in December 1996, and later lived on a ranch in the Flint Hills. Her influence endured in Kansas politics, where she was celebrated for her ability to work across party lines.
Why it matters
Her death marks the passing of a pioneering moderate voice in U.S. politics and a notable figure in Kansas history.
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