Eugene McCarthy: Antiwar Senator Who Challenged LBJ Dies at 89

Eugene McCarthy was a Minnesota Democrat who served in the U.S. House and Senate. Born on March 29, 1916, in Watkins, Minnesota, he taught college before entering politics.

McCarthy ran for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination on an antiwar platform and nearly beat President Lyndon Johnson in the New Hampshire primary, which helped lead Johnson to drop out. He served in the Senate from 1959 to 1971 and was also a published poet.

He ran again for president in 1976 and 1992 as an independent. McCarthy died of complications from Parkinson's disease in Washington, D.C., on December 10, 2005, at age 89.

Achievements: U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1959-1971), 1968 presidential candidate.

Birth: March 29, 1916 - Watkins, Minnesota.

Profession: Politician.

Interesting Facts: He published several books of poetry after leaving the Senate.