John B. Anderson, a 1946 graduate of the College of Law and prominent national political figure, has died at the age of 95. Anderson, a Rockford native, represented northern Illinois for two decades in Congress. He sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1980, but ultimately ran as an independent against Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.

Raised in an extremely religious household, Anderson was initially one of the most conservative members of the Republican caucus. Although he remained fiscally conservative throughout his life, his views on social issues such as civil rights, the Vietnam War, and the misdeeds of the Nixon administration shifted to the left during his tenure in Congress.

Anderson remained civically engaged into his retirement, serving as chairman of the board of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization that champions electoral reforms. 

College of Law Dean Vikram Amar offered kind remarks about Anderson and his contributions to society.

"John Anderson was instrumental in getting many folks involved in politics at a time when the Vietnam War, Watergate and the Iran hostage crisis had left much of the country disillusioned. I myself remember that many of my high school classmates in California were inspired by his independent campaign for the presidency in 1980. The organization he helped co-found afterward, FairVote, continues to do important work on improving elections in America, and serves as a fitting legacy for an alum of whom the College and the University should be very proud."

View the FairVote tribute to John Anderson