Kansas political trailblazer Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker dies at 94

A champion of bipartisanship and common sense, former U.S. Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker, dies.

By: Tim Carpenter

Outlets: Kansas Reflector

Published: August 22, 2026

Words: 947

Last Updated: 1 month, 4 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

TOPEKA — Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker, who fractured a political glass ceiling as the first woman to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate, died Friday.

Kassebaum, 94, grew up in Topeka and began her personal journey in politics as a member of the Maize school board. In 1978, she defeated eight Republicans to seize the nomination for U.S. Senate in a contest to determine who took the seat held by retiring Republican U.S. Sen. James …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us