Liberator in History: Senator Nancy Kassebaum

Nancy Kassebaum, the former Republican Kansas senator known for her independence and voting across both sides of the aisle, passed last week, leaving a legacy that today’s politicians can learn much from.

Despite making no bones about being a proud Republican, party loyalty wasn't the measure she used for every vote. If she believed something was right, she was willing to vote for it, even when that meant going against her own party. And she did it often enough that her independence became part of who she was in the Senate.

During her 19 years in the Senate, she worked across the aisle to support civil rights legislation and the assault-weapons ban. She also worked to give people who changed jobs greater protection from losing their health insurance because of pre-existing conditions. She also stood up to members of her own party on AIDS funding. Still, she had enough humility to admit she didn't always get it right. For instance, she deeply regretted her decision to confirm Clarence Thomas after the Anita Hill hearings.

Kassebaum’s legacy is best described by Senator Christopher Dodd, who said, “she was never partisan and always fair.” 

She entered the Senate when women were still fighting to have their voice heard, and left without surrendering her own identity—despite the political cost.

At a time when partisanship looks more like a battleship, Senator Kassebaum leaves a bright light in the darkness—a legacy created over time that reflects a steadfast dedication to public service and an enlightened way forward for all political leaders who wish to harness their own will, courage, and conviction without surrendering them out of convenience or fear.

That's the part of Nancy Kassebaum's story we want to remember. 

For her courage to stand apart and legislate according to her own wits, we celebrate Senator Kassebaum as a liberator who put inner truth and heartfelt ideals into service to benefit her constituents instead of herself, and above loyalties to any party or president.