WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Indian Gaming Association (IGA) joins tribal nations across the country in mourning the passing of U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Northern Cheyenne tribal citizen, United States Air Force Veteran, Olympic athlete, artist, rancher, and a true warrior for Indian Country. His passing is a tremendous loss for Indian Country and for the tribal gaming industry, where his advocacy protected sovereignty, regulatory independence, and economic opportunity for generations.
Campbell, 92, passed on December 30, surrounded by family, due to natural causes.
Senator Campbell, a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, served in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2005, after representing Colorado in the U.S. House from 1987 to 1993. He remains the only Native American in modern history to serve multiple full terms in the Senate. He brought the same discipline that carried him through Olympic judo competition and Air Force service to his work in Congress, where he was steady, principled, and unshakably committed to Indian Country.
IGA Chairman David Z. Bean reflected on the magnitude of Campbell’s contributions, “Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell was a giant for Indian Country. He carried himself with honor, he led with integrity, and he fought for tribes in every room he entered. When others misunderstood Indian gaming, he defended it. When others tried to limit tribes, he pushed back. He knew the people, he knew the struggle, and he knew the promise of Native nations. We have lost a great Senator, a great Cheyenne leader, and a true friend of Indian gaming. His voice protected our nations and our economies, and his legacy will continue to guide us.”
Campbell became one of the strongest voices for tribal self-determination and rural economic development in Indian Country. He believed tribes deserved the right to build their own institutions, run their own governments, and grow their own economies. To him, Indian gaming was proof of what happens when sovereignty is respected and opportunity is restored.
From the earliest days of tribal gaming’s national expansion, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell was among the most effective defenders of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). He understood that IGRA was not merely legislation; it was a hard-won, necessary protection for tribal governments, safeguarding their right to regulate, operate, and benefit from gaming on their own lands.
Campbell did not merely support Indian gaming; he fought for it when political pressure threatened to restrict it through federal overreach or state interference. Throughout his Senate career, bills repeatedly surfaced that sought to weaken IGRA by shifting authority away from tribes and into the hands of industry and state outsiders. Campbell pushed back every time, making it clear that IGRA’s success stems from tribes regulating themselves, with tribal gaming serving as a source of revenue that benefits tribal citizens. It is essential that tribal commissions and regulators, rather than outside interests, maintain ultimate authority. Tribes are sovereign governments fully capable of managing their own industries.
As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (2001-2005), Campbell used his position to reinforce IGRA’s original intent: tribal control, tribal regulation, and tribal benefit. Under his leadership, the Committee held oversight hearings that protected the framework for tribal gaming, affirmed tribal regulatory authority, and rejected proposals that sought to strip tribes of their governing rights.
Campbell consistently reminded policymakers that tribal gaming revenues fund essential government services, including roads, water infrastructure, emergency response, schools, health clinics, language preservation, housing, and elder care. These funds also support scholarships and leadership pipelines for Native youth, promote economic diversification supporting Indigenous women and small business owners, and fund cultural programs that sustain tribal identity. His voice ensured that Indian gaming remained what IGRA intended it to be, a tribal-led, tribally regulated industry that strengthens tribal governments and tribal families.
Chairman Bean added, “Senator Campbell understood IGRA was not just a law, it was a promise. A promise that tribes could finally build our own economies, regulate our own industries, and protect our own future. When Indian gaming faced threats, Senator Campbell defended tribal regulatory independence like a man protecting his home. His leadership preserved tribal authority over one of the most regulated industries in the country, and that is a legacy we will carry forward.”
Bean continued, “Because of Senator Campbell’s voice, IGRA remained intact, tribal gaming remained tribal-led, and tribal governments kept the authority to regulate their own markets. By protecting sovereignty, he protected opportunity for Native families, Native youth, and Native governments not yet born. We owe so much of our foundation to his leadership.”
Senator Campbell is survived by his wife, Linda Campbell, his lifelong partner and the steady heart of the Campbell family. Linda stood beside him throughout his long Congressional service, ranch life, artistic pursuits, and every chapter of his post-congressional career, including his work with the Indian Gaming Association, where they were a constant presence at IGA’s Annual Tradeshow and Convention. While he served the nation, she carried the responsibilities of a full-time schoolteacher in Ignacio, Colorado, family caretaker, and community service member on the Southern Ute Reservation with grace and strength.
Ben and Linda built a family rooted in love, resilience, service, and cultural responsibility. He often credited Linda and their children for keeping their family grounded while he fought for Native nations. Linda and the Campbell family reflect the same values he carried into public service: loyalty to people, responsibility to community, and devotion to future generations.
Bean also shared, “Linda and the Campbell family are part of Senator Campbell’s legacy just as much as his work in Congress. His leadership was powerful because it was personal. He fought for sovereignty like a man protecting his own family. Today, we honor Linda for standing beside a great leader, and we honor their children and grandchildren who continue that strength.”
On behalf of IGA, its member tribes, and its associate partners, Chairman Bean closed, “Senator Campbell reminded all of us that sovereignty must be lived, not just spoken. He walked that truth every day. On behalf of the Indian Gaming Association, we send our prayers to Linda, their children, grandchildren, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and all of Indian Country. We will continue the work he stood for: protecting tribal rights, defending tribal gaming, and strengthening tribal governments for the generations to come.”
IGA extends its deepest condolences to the Campbell family, the Northern Cheyenne people, and all who were impacted by his leadership, friendship, and service.
Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell lived sovereignty. He lived in service. And he lived with love for our Native people.