Former U.S. Sen. Donald Riegle, who represented Michigan under 7 presidents, dies at 88

Former U.S. Senator Donald Riegle, who represented Michigan in Congress for nearly three decades spanning seven presidential administrations, has died at the age of 87.

Riegle's career mirrored the transformation of the Democratic Party and the American economy. First elected to the House of Representatives in 1966 at age 28, he moved to the Senate in 1976, where he served until 1995. He began his career as a moderate Democrat in the mold of the Michigan Democratic tradition — pro-labor, pro-manufacturing, skeptical of big government overreach — and evolved over time into a more progressive voice on environmental regulation, financial oversight, and healthcare reform.

As chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Riegle played a central role in the response to the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s, pushing for the regulatory reforms that ultimately reshaped the financial industry. He was also an early advocate for the Community Reinvestment Act, which required banks to lend in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.

After leaving the Senate, Riegle became a partner at a Washington law firm and served on numerous corporate boards. He remained active in Michigan politics as an elder statesman and advisor, particularly on trade and manufacturing policy — areas where his decades of experience gave him credibility that few current officeholders can match.

What This Means For You: Riegle's career is a reminder of a political era when institutional knowledge mattered and legislators built expertise over decades of service. His work on the savings and loan crisis directly created the regulatory framework that still governs banking today. If you have a bank account, a mortgage, or a credit card, the CRA provisions Riegle championed affect your access to financial services. His passing also underscores Michigan's ongoing economic transition — from the manufacturing powerhouse Riegle fought to protect to the semiconductor and EV hub it's becoming today.