Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell

Ben Nighthorse Campbell served as a Senator from Colorado in the United States Congress from 1987 to 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Ben Nighthorse Campbell contributed to the legislative process during 5 terms in office.

Ben Nighthorse Campbell’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the Senate, Ben Nighthorse Campbell participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Ben Nighthorse Campbell (born Benny Marshall Campbell; April 13, 1933 – December 30, 2025) was an American and Northern Cheyenne politician and U.S. Air Force veteran who served in both chambers of the United States Congress; representing Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993 and in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2005. He served as one of the 44 members of the Council of Chiefs of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Tribe. During his time in office, he was the only Native American serving in Congress. He was the last Native American elected to the U.S. Senate until the 2022 election of Cherokee Markwayne Mullin. Originally a member of the Democratic Party, Campbell switched to the Republican Party on March 3, 1995. Reelected to the Senate in 1998, Campbell announced in March 2004 that he would not run for a third term. His seat was won by Democrat Ken Salazar in the November 2004 election. He later became a lobbyist for the law and lobbying firm Holland & Knight and afterward co-founded his own lobbying firm, Ben Nighthorse Consultants. Campbell died on December 30, 2025, at the age of 92.