Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Ben Nighthorse Campbell | |||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, c. 1997 | |||||||||||||||
| Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee | |||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005 | |||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Daniel Inouye | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | John McCain | ||||||||||||||
| In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001 | |||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Daniel Inouye | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Daniel Inouye | ||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001 | |||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | John McCain | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Daniel Inouye | ||||||||||||||
| United States Senator from Colorado | |||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2005 | |||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tim Wirth | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ken Salazar | ||||||||||||||
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 3rd district | |||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1993 | |||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Michael Strang | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Scott McInnis | ||||||||||||||
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 59th district | |||||||||||||||
| In office January 1983 – January 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Robert E. DeNier | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jim Dyer | ||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||
| Born | Benny Marshall Campbell April 13, 1933 Auburn, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | December 30, 2025 (aged 92) Ignacio, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Party | Republican (1995–2025) | ||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (until 1995) | ||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Linda Price (m. 1966) | ||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Education | San Jose State University (BA) Meiji University | ||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||
| Branch | United States Air Force | ||||||||||||||
| Service years | 1951–1953 | ||||||||||||||
| Rank | Airman First Class E-4 | ||||||||||||||
| Conflict | Korean War | ||||||||||||||
| Awards | Korean Service Medal Air Medal | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ben Nighthorse Campbell (born Benny Marshall Campbell; April 13, 1933 – December 30, 2025) was an American politician and United States Air Force veteran who served in both chambers of the United States Congress; representing Colorado's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993 and as a member of the United States Senate from 1993 to 2005. He served as one of the 44 members of the Council of Chiefs of the Cheyenne people. During his time in office, he was the only Native American serving in Congress. He was the last Native American elected to the U.S. Senate until the 2022 election of Cherokee Markwayne Mullin.
Originally a member of the Democratic Party, Campbell switched to the Republican Party on March 3, 1995. Reelected to the Senate in 1998, Campbell announced in March 2004 that he would not run for a third term. His seat was won by Democrat Ken Salazar in the November 2004 election. He later became a lobbyist for the law and lobbying firm Holland & Knight and afterward co-founded his own lobbying firm, Ben Nighthorse Consultants. Campbell died on December 30, 2025, at the age of 92.