David Boren, Former Oklahoma Governor and U.S. Senator, Dies at 83

Boren, a prominent Democratic leader and University of Oklahoma president, leaves a complex legacy of public service and controversy.

David Boren, who served as Oklahoma's youngest governor at age 33 and later as a U.S. senator from 1979 to 1994, passed away from complications related to diabetes.
Boren was a pivotal figure in state and national politics, leading government reforms in Oklahoma and chairing the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, where he influenced U.S. policy in Central America and opposed apartheid in South Africa.
After his political career, Boren served as the president of the University of Oklahoma for 24 years, stepping down in 2018 before allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced, which he denied and which did not lead to charges or civil litigation.
Boren's initiatives included creating the National Security Education Program and the Boren Awards, a scholarship program supporting students pursuing careers in national security and public service.
He is survived by his wife, Molly Shi Boren, and two children, including Dan Boren, a former congressman and current secretary of commerce for the Chickasaw Nation.