Trending Now - Former Michigan Senator Donald Riegle Passes Away at 88
WHO:
ABC News - Donald W. Riegle, a former Michigan senator
ABC News - Riegle's family
ABC News - Lori Hansen Riegle, Riegle's wife
WHAT:
ABC News - Donald Riegle died of cardiac arrest
ABC News - Riegle served in Congress for nearly three decades
ABC News - Riegle was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1966
ABC News - Riegle switched from Republican to Democrat in 1973
ABC News - Riegle was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976 and served until 1994
ABC News - Riegle was chair of the Senate Banking Committee
ABC News - Riegle was involved in the Keating Five controversy
ABC News - Riegle became chairman of government relations for APCO Worldwide in 2001
Newsweek - Riegle led Senate opposition to NAFTA
WHERE:
ABC News - Riegle died at his home in San Diego, California
ABC News - Riegle was a native of Flint, Michigan
WHEN:
ABC News - Riegle was 88 years old at the time of his death
ABC News - Riegle was first elected at age 28 in 1966
ABC News - Riegle served in the Senate until 1994
ABC News - Riegle died on a Friday, as stated by his family
WHY:
ABC News - Riegle's family described him as a kind, loving, courageous leader who fought for justice and economic opportunity
HOW:
ABC News - Riegle challenged President Richard Nixon's policies on the Vietnam War
ABC News - Riegle pushed for financial reforms in the savings and loan industry
ABC News - Riegle advocated for treatment for Gulf War syndrome for veterans
(UPDATED April 27, 2026 07:47 UTC)
Donald W. Riegle, a former Michigan senator who served in Congress for nearly three decades, has died at his home in San Diego, California, at the age of 88. Riegle, who was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1966 and later served in the Senate until 1994, was known for his leadership on issues like financial reform and his opposition to NAFTA. His family remembers him as a kind and courageous leader who fought for justice and economic opportunity throughout his career.