• Influential evangelical leader James Dobson has died at age 89.
• He founded Focus on the Family in 1977, advocating for conservative family values.
• Dobson advised five U.S. presidents and was a significant figure in the religious right.

Dr. James Dobson, a prominent evangelical leader and founder of the conservative ministry Focus on the Family, died on Thursday at the age of 89, as confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute. His passing marks the end of a significant era in American conservatism, given his influential role advising five U.S. presidents, including Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan, throughout his decades-long career in public service and advocacy for conservative Christian values, according to HuffPost and CBS News.

Dobson was born in 1936 in Louisiana, trained as a child psychologist, and gained prominence in the 1970s with his radio show focusing on parenting advice. He founded Focus on the Family in 1977, which became one of the largest evangelical organizations globally, championing traditional family values and opposing abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, as reported by Los Angeles Times and BBC.

At the pinnacle of his influence in the 1980s, Dobson's Focus on the Family garnered an audience of millions through his conservative message, disseminated via thousands of radio stations across North America. His advocacy extended to significant political lobbies, effectively mobilizing evangelical voters to support conservative candidates and policies, a strategy highlighted by Reuters and NPR.

Dobson's legacy also includes authorship of over 70 books and founding the Family Research Council, as well as participating in numerous legislative discussions on family and moral issues. His controversial views included strict opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, which have spurred significant debate and division, particularly among critics who labeled him as intolerant, according to India Times and HuffPost.