Fred Harris, a former US senator, presidential candidate and champion of democratic reform, died on Saturday. He was 94 years old. His death was reported by his wife Marguerite Elliston. Harris had lived in New Mexico since 1976 and was a resident of Corrallis at the time of his death.
Marguerite Elliston said, “Fred Harris passed away peacefully this morning of natural causes. He was a great and beloved man. His memory is a blessing to us all.”
Fred Harris served in the United States Senate for eight years. He was first elected in 1964 and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 1976. As chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1969-70, she made major efforts to provide opportunities for women, minorities and other elements of leadership in the party.
An important responsibility of his leadership was to defuse tensions within the party after the controversial 1968 National Convention. He changed party rules to allow more women and minorities to be represented.
Harris was an ardent civil rights leader. He implemented various programs for poverty alleviation and underprivileged. His first wife, LaDonna, was of Comanche descent, and they both worked for Native American rights.
In 1976, after losing the presidential election, Harris moved to New Mexico and worked as a professor of political science at the University of New Mexico. He wrote more than 12 books on politics and Congress. In 1999, he attempted to write an Oklahoma mystery set against the backdrop of the Great Depression.
Harris was a member of the 1968 Kerner Commission, established by then- President Lyndon Johnson to investigate urban riots. The report of this commission highlighted apartheid and inequality in the country. 30 years later, a report he co- authored noted, “The poor are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer, and the minorities are suffering more.”
Fred Harris emphasized democratic reforms throughout his career and worked to reduce the excesses of financial power within the party. His leadership created more openness and diversity in the party.
Born into a poor farming family in Oklahoma, Harris worked on a farm as a child. He worked as a peon and printing assistant to pursue his education. In 1952 he graduated with a degree in political science and history, and in 1954 obtained a law degree.
Fred Harris was first married to LaDonna Crawford, with whom he had three children. Later in 1983 he married Marguerite Elliston. Detailed information about his family members is not available at present.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham mourned his death and hailed him as a “virtuous, exemplary leader”. He left an indelible impression on people due to his political work.