Acting

Fred R. Harris

Fred Roy Harris (November 13, 1930 – November 23, 2024) was a notable American politician hailing from Oklahoma. He held a seat in the Oklahoma Senate from 1957 to 1964 before moving on to serve in the United States Senate from 1964 to 1973.

Harris began his political career after earning his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, securing a position in the Oklahoma Senate. In a significant political upset, he defeated the incumbent U.S. Senator J. Howard Edmondson in a special election in 1964, thereby completing the term of Robert S. Kerr, overcoming the challenge posed by football coach Bud Wilkinson. A proponent of the Great Society initiatives, Harris was vocal in his critique of President Lyndon B. Johnson's approach to the Vietnam War. He won reelection in 1966 but opted not to pursue another term in 1972.

From 1969 to 1970, he held the position of chair for the Democratic National Committee. During the 1968 presidential election, Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey considered him as a possible vice presidential pick. Harris made two attempts to secure the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972 and 1976, though neither was successful. Following his political career, he transitioned to academia, serving as a professor at the University of New Mexico.

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