Longtime Oklahoma Democrat Dead at 94
The political world lost a member of the old guard this weekend.
Former Democrat Oklahoma State Senator Fred Harris has passed away.
Harris was 94 years old.
He’s Gone
Harris’ death was confirmed by his wife this weekend.
She stated that he had passed from “natural causes,” according to a report in AP.
His wife, Margaret Elliston, also posted on social media, “Fred Harris passed peacefully early this morning of natural causes. He was 94. He was a wonderful and beloved man. His memory is a blessing.”
Harris entered the political world in 1957, serving as an Oklahoma State Senator for the 17th District.
He left that seat after winning a seat in the United States Senate in 1964, a seat he held for two terms, leaving office in 1973.
He also served as the 32nd Chair of the Democrat National Committee for about 15 months starting in January 1969.
Harris probably would have won re-election had he run for office in 1972, but he decided to run for president instead.
He ran a low-budget campaign, traveling the country in a recreational vehicle and staying as a guest at personal residences, offering them a free night’s stay at the White House if he were to win the race.
His campaign was short-lived, lasting only 48 days before he pulled out of the race.
He ran again in 1976, with more success, but not much.
He had a little grip early in the race, garnering about 10% of the vote in Iowa, then had a solid finish in New Hampshire and Vermont, but then the campaign started to fizzle.
He finished fifth in Massachusetts, and it was all downhill from there, with Harris withdrawing from the race in early April.
After his second run for office, Harris went the route of an academic, teaching at the University of New Mexico as well as authoring numerous books.
Even though he had left politics as a profession, he remained active, slamming Trump for his attacks on Biden’s age as well as Trump insisting that he won the 2020 election.
Harris also attended the Democrat National Convention in 2024 to show his support for the Harris-Walz ticket.
