Updated at 7:52 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
Former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who started out representing the state as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party, has died at the age of 92, as confirmed by The Colorado Sun.
In addition to serving in Congress for nearly two decades, Nighthorse Campbell was a chief of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, a celebrated jewelry designer, and a member of the first U.S. Olympic judo team.
“He was always generous to me with his time and wisdom,” Sen. John Hickenlooper wrote in a remembrance on Wednesday. “I will not forget his acts of kindness. He will be sorely missed.”
Former Senator Cory Gardner called Nighthorse Campbell a “true icon of the United States Senate, & fearless public servant” in a statement and said he was “gracious and kind, always willing to lend an ear and sound advice.”
“Colorado lost a true legend in former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell,” GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert wrote on social media. “A proud Northern Cheyenne, Olympian, veteran, and trailblazing leader who championed our great state. He and his beloved wife Linda were pioneers for Colorado and built a legacy of strength, service, and innovation that will inspire generations to come.”
Nighthorse Campbell was first elected to the House in 1987, representing western Colorado, before being elected to the Senate in 1991. During his time in office, he played a key role in the creation of two of Colorado’s National Parks: Great Sand Dunes and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. He was also instrumental in the creation of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and the preservation of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site.
Nighthorse Campbell was born in Auburn, California. He dropped out of high school to serve in the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Air Force. After his service, while attending San Jose State University, Nighthorse Campbell joined the school’s judo team. He competed in the 1964 Tokyo games but was injured and did not medal.
Nighthorse Campbell entered politics via the Colorado legislature before seeking a seat in Congress. He cut a colorful figure on Capitol Hill, known for riding a motorcycle and appearing in the Senate tie-less, according to a profile in High Country News.
He was the only Native American in the Senate while he served there. He also became the first Native American to chair the Committee on Indian Affairs.
In 1995, Nighthorse Campbell shocked the political establishment by switching parties midway through his first term in the Senate.
“I can no longer represent the agenda that is put forth by the party,” Nighthorse Campbell said at a press conference announcing the shift, as quoted by the New York Times. “Although I certainly agree with many of the things they stand for.”
The Times reported his party shift was due more to personal disputes with the Democratic establishment in Colorado than changes in his own ideology. Much of his congressional staff quit on the spot, but he went on to win reelection in 1998 as a Republican.
In another shift, Nighthorse Campbell voted with the Bush Administration to authorize the Iraq War in 2003. By 2016, he had “misgivings” about that decision.
"In retrospect, after seeing that there were no weapons of mass destruction and that we did not have really good intelligence on the ground to give us some guidance on how we should proceed, I now look back and think, ‘Maybe I shouldn't have voted the way I did,’” he told Colorado Matters.
The 2013 government shutdown also changed Nighthorse Campbell’s opinion about term limits for Congress.
“I never used to believe in limited terms for elected officials, but I'm beginning to believe it now because too many of them are voting to get back in office rather than voting to do the right thing,” Nighthorse Campbell said.
The longtime legislator experienced multiple shutdowns during the Clinton Administration. The first lasted six days in mid-November 1995. The second lasted 21 days, between Dec. 16 to Jan. 6, 1996. It was the longest shutdown in U.S. history at the time.
After leaving politics, Nighthorse Campbell worked as a lobbyist, representing tribes and other interests. He also founded Nighthorse Jewelry with his daughter and grandson. He belonged to the 44-member Council of Chiefs of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Tribe.
Nighthorse Campbell’s varied professional background came in handy in some surprising ways.
As the only senator with a commercial drivers license, he was responsible for bringing the Christmas tree to the U.S. Capitol on two occasions. The first time he transported the tree was in 2000.
He was tapped the second time to bring the Christmas tree in 2012. Campbell talked about the 23-day trip from the White River National Forest to Washington, D.C., with Colorado Matters.
“Ever since I was a teenager, I got through college by driving a semi,” Campbell said. “And the only difference with this is it's so long. But the police go with you. There's police escorts. I tell people it's kind of fun having red lights and sirens in front of you, (rather) than chasing you.”
