Former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar dies at 87

Former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar (R) died Sunday morning in Virginia. He was 87.

The Lugar Center said he died of complications from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a neurological disorder. With six terms under his belt, Lugar was the longest-serving senator in Indiana history. He was known for his focus on agricultural issues, helping craft landmark farm bills in 1990 and 1996, and working alongside Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) to create the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program to prevent the spread of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.

Born in Indianapolis on April 4, 1932, Lugar graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Denison College, was a Rhodes Scholar, and served in the Navy. Before joining the Senate, he was mayor of Indianapolis for eight years. Lugar received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 from former President Barack Obama, who said on Sunday that Lugar "proved that pragmatism and decency work — not only in Washington, but all over the world."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up