Conservative politician Jesse Helms has died at the age of 86. The cause of death was not announced, but he had been in poor health in recent years. Upon hearing of his death, President Bush said of Helms, “Sen. Helms has been a tireless defender of our nation’s freedom and a champion of democracy abroad.”
Helms was a North Carolina Republican who was considered by many to be a conservative icon. He himself was once quoted as saying his job was to “derail the freight train of liberalism.”
Helms started out in his career as a sports reporter for the News & Observer in Raleigh, NC. He served in the Navy during World War II and after he returned, he started to pursue his interest in politics while still remaining in the journalism world.
He was the administrative assistant in D.C. to Senator Willis Smith and in 1952, worked on the presidential campaign for Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr. After Russell died suddenly in 1953, Helms decided to return to his native North Carolina.
In 1960, he became a conservative commentator on the Raleigh station CBC. He gained a lot of attention for his editorials, which included criticism of The University of North Carolina as being a supporter of liberalism. By 1957, he was serving on the Raleigh City Council and in 1972, he announced his candidacy for a seat in the U.S. Senate. He was the first North Carolina Republican elected to the Senate in the 20th century. From 1978 to 1996, he would defend his seat to remain in the Senate. He finally retired from politics in 2003.
As with many conservatives, Helms saw his share of controversies. He was outspoken about gays and lesbians. He opposed the bill in 1983 to pass Martin Luther King Day and in the Sixties, he protested civil rights. He also supported Chile dictator Augusto Pinochet. However, he was also a strong supporter of the war against drugs and in his later years, worked with Madeleine Albright and Bono to fight AIDS in Africa.
Helms lasting legacy will be as a conservative leader for 30 years.