CHICAGO (AP) — Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon of Illinois has died.
His son Jeffrey Dixon tells The Associated Press that the 86-year-old died Sunday at his home in Fairview Heights. He had recently been hospitalized for heart problems, but his condition had improved and he had returned home.
Dixon served in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1993. He also had a long career in state politics, serving in the Illinois House, Illinois Senate and as the state’s treasurer and secretary of state.
He lost the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in 1992 to Carol Moseley Braun. She was the first African-American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
The Belleville-born Dixon was an attorney.
His memoir titled “The Gentleman from Illinois” was published in 2013.
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That sure looks like Walter Mondale. I presume Dixon is the other one, on the right?
And we lose another, of that vanishing personality–a statesman.
Ted Cruz? Rand Paul? Puh-leez. These are no statesmen.
Goodbye, Senator.
Let us not forget why he lost the primary in 1992: during the Thomas hearings he was one of the cheerleaders of Clarence Thomas. His questioning of Prof. Hill was condescending and sexist.
I am willing to believe that Sen. Dixon has many accomplishments. And yet, he will be forever linked to the confirmation of Clarence Thomas and the accompanying low tech lynching of Anita Hill.
Hugo, you are so correct. Al, the pall, voted for Clarence - or as Bartcop called him, slappy - to his demise. We in IL kicked him out for that.