Lee Hart, wife of 1984 presidential hopeful Gary Hart, dies
The wife of former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado has died
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Lee Hart, the wife of former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, has died. She was 85.
Lee Hart died Friday at a hospital in Lakewood Colorado, after a brief illness. She campaigned for her husband during his runs for the Senate and the White House
Gary Hart in 1984 sought the Democratic presidential nomination, losing narrowly to former Vice President Walter Mondale. He declined to seek reelection to the Senate in 1986 and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988. He was widely viewed as the front-runner until reports of a scandal caused him to withdraw from the race.
Lee Hart was born Oletha Ludwig in Lawrence Kansas, on Feb. 20, 1936. She graduated from Bethany Nazarene College in 1958 and married Gary Hart that summer.
She is survived by her husband, her two children, and her sister, former U.S. Rep. Martha Keys.