Former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell died Tuesday of natural causes surrounded by his family, his daughter Shanan Campbell confirmed.
Campbell represented Colorado in the Senate for two terms after serving in the House of Representatives and the state legislature.
He was 92.
Campbell’s daughter said the family will be making a statement Wednesday.
Campbell is best known for his long political career, but held many other notable roles, including as a member of the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Olympic Team.
☀️ READ MORE
The Southern Ute tribe has finally tapped into Animas-La Plata water. Why did it take 60 years?
For years, two tribes have pointed to the barely used, multimillion-dollar project near Durango to show tribal water access challenges in the Colorado River Basin
Read moreFrom 1983 to 1986, Campbell served in the Colorado state legislature, followed by three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Then, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992, where he changed his party affiliation to Republican from Democrat in 1995.
He served as chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs until the end of his second term in January 2005.
Campbell was the first Native American to chair the committee and the only Native American to serve in the Senate during his two terms.
Campbell was born in Auburn, California, on April 13, 1933. His mother was a Portuguese immigrant, and his father was a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe.
This is a developing story that will be updated.