Lauch Faircloth was a politician who served one term representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate as a Republican.
- Died: September 14, 2023 (Who else died on September 14?)
- Details of death: Died of natural causes at his home in Clinton, North Carolina, at the age of 95.
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Lauch Faircloth’s legacy
Faircloth spent most of his political career as a Democrat, serving as chairman of North Carolina’s Highway Commission and mounting an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 1984. Already leaning toward the conservative side of the Democratic Party, he switched his affiliation in 1990, becoming a Republican as he prepared to run for Senate. With the support of North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms (1921–2008), Faircloth won, beginning his single term in the Senate in 1993.
Faircloth’s time in office is best remembered for his work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, especially as chairman of the subcommittee on the District of Columbia. There, he led the committee’s controversial takeover of the city’s budget, which often left him at odds with Mayor Marion Barry (1936–2014). Faircloth also worked on welfare reform, advocating that people receiving welfare should be required to hold jobs.
After losing his bid for reelection to Democratic Senator John Edwards, Faircloth returned to North Carolina, where he owned businesses including a construction company and a large hog farm.
Tributes to Lauch Faircloth
Full obituary: The News & Observer
