As Senator, Helms practiced a conservatism that either outraged or pleased. He was labeled "Senator No" by the News and Observer for his tendency to vote against government programs. But Helms practiced what he preached. He returned millions that had been allocated for running his office. It was his mastery of parliamentary procedure that infuriated his colleagues (even Republicans); he routinely forced votes on delicate social issues such as abortion and school busing.
Helms leadership style was more than controversial; it was also effective. Helms's support of Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) for president in the 1976 North Carolina Republican primary has been credited by pundits, including Fred Barnes, as the reason for the California governor's comeback victory in 1980. When the Republicans controlled the Senate in 1981 to 1987, Helms chaired the Committee on Agriculture. When Republicans controlled the Senate during 1995-2001, he chaired the Committee on Foreign Relations. In this position, he was the most interested and exercised his greatest influence, scaling back the U.S. debt to the United Nations, reforming the State Department, defeating ambassadorial nominations of Liberals, and helping strengthen the embargo against Cuba.
As a former reporter, Helms understood the value of mass media. He relied on direct mail to collect small contributions to build multimillion-dollar war chests for his campaigns, by-passing big contributors interested only in buying influence. Helms's toughest campaign was against former Governor James Hunt (1937- ) in 1984. At over $28 million in expenditures, the 1984 campaign was the most expensive U.S. Senate campaign in history until that time. Centrist politics, which had made Hunt a formidable campaigner, were what defeated him when he challenged Helms. From the beginning, Helms attacked Hunt as being wishy-washy, and voters once again returned Helms to office. In 1990 and 1996, Helms ran against Harvey Gantt (1943- ), an African American and former mayor of Charlotte. The Helms campaign used Gantt’s affirmative action positions to defeat him. The 1990 campaign, for instance, featured an ad depicting an unemployed white worker crumbling a rejection notice after a minority landed the job.
In his last years in the Senate, Helms's declining health forced him to use a wheel chair. Announcing he would not seek reelection in 2002, Helms publicly supported Elizabeth Dole (1936- ), who won and became the first woman U.S. Senator from N.C.
Even when retired and in declining health, Helms still held influence and remained active. Political candidates sought his endorsement. Helms also wrote an autobiography and promoted the Helms Center in Wingate, which houses his correspondence and promotes the principles to which Helms dedicated his life: free enterprise and limited government. "Senator No" passed away on July 4, 2008.
