John Anderson, liberal Republican who challenged Reagan, dies at 95

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - John Anderson, a former Republican congressman who challenged the party's conservative drift by taking on its chief symbol, Ronald Reagan, and ran for president as an independent in 1980, died on Sunday. He was 95.

Anderson had been ill for some time, family friend Dan Johnson told Reuters in a telephone interview. Anderson's wife, Keke, and his daughter Diane were at his side when he died in Washington, Diane Anderson said by phone.