Long-time Democratic senator and Florida governor Bob Graham dies aged 87

Former Florida senator and governor Bob Graham has died at the age of 87.

The Democrat began his political career in the Florida statehouse in 1966 before moving on to the state senate in 1970, becoming governor in 1979. After two terms as governor, he joined the US Senate in 1987, where he stayed until 2005.

In the Senate, he was the chair of the intelligence committee from June 2001 until January 2003 and he was part of the leadership of the congressional investigation into the 9/11 terror attacks. He was also one of the main authors of the 2001 Patriot Act, which outlined ways to better share intelligence between US foreign and domestic agencies.

"We are deeply saddened to report the passing of a visionary leader, dedicated public servant, and even more importantly, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather: Bob Graham,” his family said in a statement.

“As a legislator, Florida's 38th Governor, and a United States Senator, Bob Graham devoted his life to the betterment of the world around him,” they added. “The memorials to that devotion are everywhere – from the Everglades and other natural treasures he was determined to preserve, to the colleges and universities he championed with his commitment to higher education, to the global understanding he helped to foster through his work with the intelligence community, and so many more.”

He became one of the top critics of then-President George W Bush on the war in Iraq, voting in 2002 against authorising military force against the country.

Both former president Bill Clinton and former vice-president and 2000 Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore considered Mr Graham as a possible running mate because of his record as an undefeated Florida Democrat. But Mr Clinton ended up choosing Mr Gore and Mr Gore picked Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman, a ticket which ended up losing Florida by 537 votes following a Supreme Court fight.

Mr Graham sought the 2004 Democratic nomination to take on Mr Bush but left the race in the belief he didn’t have the resources to catch up to the rest of the field.

“While he valued his opportunities to represent others in public office, the jobs Bob Graham most loved were those he spent working alongside everyday Floridians. His more than 400 workdays, in occupations ranging from construction to farming to hospitality, created wonderful friendships across the state and forever changed his perspective on Florida and his approach to public service,” the family said. “His very first workday – teaching citizenship at a Miami-Dade County high school – became a lifelong passion for helping Americans become effective citizens.”

Florida Republican senator Rick Scott called Mr Graham “a good man and a great Floridian who dedicated his life to our state. His legacy will live forever, not because of any title he held, but for what he did with those opportunities to improve Florida and the lives of families in the Sunshine State”.

Former Democratic US House speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “It was my privilege to work closely with him when he was serving as Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He sponsored and led the Congressional Joint Inquiry into 9/11, and he bravely opposed entry into the war in Iraq”.