Former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, a conservative icon and opponent ofU.S. foreign aid, died Friday at the age of 86. A spokesman says theformer lawmaker died of natural causes in his home state of NorthCarolina. VOA's Kent Klein reports from Washington.

Jesse Helms (file photo)

"They'vegot to put up with that right-wing extremist from North Carolina untilwell after the 21st century, the lord willing," said Helms.

Duringhis 30 years on Capitol Hill, the North Carolina Republican became apowerful voice for a conservative movement that was growing both in theU.S. Congress and across the country. He used his position to speak outagainst issues like gay rights, federal funding for the arts and U.S.foreign aid.

Jesse Helms was born in 1921, in a small town inNorth Carolina. He was a journalist, commentator, broadcast executiveand banker before winning his first Senate race in 1972. The lawmakersoon became known nationwide as a forceful conservative spokesman, areputation he kept for the rest of his life. He supported the armedforces, prayer in public schools and other old-fashioned values. Hefiercely opposed legal abortion, homosexuality and government-fundedart.

The senator also remained a rigid anti-communist long afterthe end of the Cold War. Cuba was one of his favorite targets. In1996 he co-authored the Helms-Burton bill, which tightened the U.S.economic blockade around the island. The measure touched off a stormof protest from Cuba's trading partners, like Canada, Mexico and theEuropean Union. Helms was typically unapologetic.

"I've said itbefore and I'll say it again. Those people [who] are so eager to dealwith the bloody Fidel Castro remind me of a guy named NevilleChamberlain," said Helms. "Remember that name? He was the Britishprime minister who went over to Munich in the 1930's and sat down withAdolf Hitler."

Despite his power in Washington, Helms had tofight some hard political battles in his home state. He narrowly wonre-election in 1984, and six years later faced a tough race against anAfrican-American opponent, Harvey Gantt. That year, the Helms campaignaired a television commercial that showed a pair of white handscrumpling a job rejection letter.

"You needed that job," hesaid. "And you were the best qualified. But they had to give it to aminority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Harvey Ganttsays it is."

Critics charged that the commerical was thinlyveiled racism, but Helms won the election. He beat Gantt again sixyears later to win his fifth term. After 30 years in the Senate, Helmsretired in 2002.