That is why I fought against abortion and that is why if I were still in the Senate I would be doing everything I could to defend the sanctity of marriage.

who ran on a platform of racial segregation. Death
Helms's health remained poor after he retired from the Senate in 2003. Religious views
Helms was well known for his strong religious views.

The Almanac of American Politics once wrote that "no American politician is more controversial beloved in some quarters and hated in others than Jesse Helms". Helms tried with a 16-day filibuster to stop the Senate from approving a federal holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. A leading conservative he helped organize and fund the conservative resurgence in the 1970s aiding Ronald Reagan's quest for the White House and helping many local and regional candidates.