Former congressman, Senate candidate Galifianakis dies at 94

A funeral will be held this weekend for former Democratic US Representative Nick Galifianakis, who represented central North Carolina for several years before two unsuccessful Senate bids - the first against archconservative Jesse Helms.

Galifianakis died on Monday at age 94, according to obituary information from Hall-Wynne Funeral Service in Durham. Galifianakis, who had Parkinson's disease for several years, died at a Raleigh retirement community, a family spokesman, Jack Pinnix, told The News & Observer of Raleigh.

A Durham native, son of Greek immigrants and Duke University graduate, Galifianakis was an attorney and ex-Marine first elected to the General Assembly in 1960. He was elected to Congress to 1966 and became a rising star in the party while serving three terms.

In 1972, Galifianakis defeated US Senator B. Everett Jordan in the Democratic primary...