HARTFORD, Conn. (NEWSnet) — Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by his family. He was 82.

Lieberman died from complications from a fall, the statement said.

A prominent independent figure in politics, he aligned closely with the Democratic Party throughout his four terms as a senator from Connecticut.

But he identified as a centrist, and towards the end of his career, he embraced the No Labels movement.

Lieberman, however, was part of the Democratic presidential ticket in 2000, when Gore raced for the White House.

When Gore chose Lieberman as his vice presidential candidate, the senator became the first Jewish running mate to represent a major party in the general elections.

The decision also catapulted Lieberman into one of the most divisive presidential races in recent history. The Gore-Lieberman ticket won the popular vote — but it lost the crucial Electoral College, the metric the US uses to decide who wins the presidency.

Instead, Rep. George W Bush emerged victorious in that race, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to end a recount effort in the pivotal swing state of Florida. An estimated 537 votes separated Bush and Gore in the state.

Lieberman’s career in national politics, however, came to an end in 2006, when he lost the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. At the time, he faced strong criticism for his hawkish approach to the U.S.’s war in Iraq.

He has, however, continued to exercise influence as a political lobbyist, lawyer and advocate for groups like No Labels.

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