Joe Lieberman, former Connecticut senator, 2000 vice presidential nominee, dead at 82

Joseph Lieberman, a former senator from Connecticut who became the first Jewish American to be nominated on a major party’s ticket, died Wednesday at 82.

According to a statement from his family, Lieberman died on Wednesday afternoon following complications from a fall.

"Former United States Senator Joseph I. Lieberman died this afternoon, March 27, 2024, in New York City due to complications from a fall," his family said in a statement. "He was 82 years old. His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him as he passed."

"Senator Lieberman's love of God, his family, and America endured throughout his life of service in the public interest," the family said.

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Joseph Lieberman died from a fall on Wednesday. He was 82. (Win McNamee/Getty Image)

Lieberman's funeral will be held on Friday, at Congregation Agudath Sholom in his hometown of Stamford, Connecticut.

Lieberman was a longtime member of the U.S. Senate from 1989 to 2013.

Elected originally as a Democrat, he won re-election in 2006 as an independent after losing the Democratic Party primary. 

In 2000, he was the Democratic vice presidential nominee — the first Jewish candidate on a major party presidential ticket.

Lieberman bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, but dropped out after a weak showing in early primaries.

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., speaks at a panel hosted by the National Council of Resistance of Iran – U.S. Representative Office at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 17, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In his retirement announcement from the Senate in 2013, Lieberman reflected on his service to the American people.

"I have decided it is time to turn the page to a new chapter," he said. "This was not an easy decision for me to make because I have loved serving in the Senate and I feel good about what I have accomplished. But I know it is the right decision and, I must say, I am excited about beginning a new chapter of life with new opportunities."

"At the end of this term, I will have served 24 years in the U.S. Senate and 40 years in elective office," he said. "So for me, it's time for another season and another purpose under Heaven."

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In recent years, Lieberman served as the founding chairperson of No Labels, a group that is against partisan politics and aims for centrist candidates.

"Senator Lieberman was a singular figure in American political life who always put his country before party. He was a deeply principled and pragmatic leader who believed public service was a privilege and who dedicated his life to the betterment of others," the group said in a statement.

"But Senator Lieberman’s legislative record — as impressive as it is — can’t begin to tell the story of his impact on America’s public life. He was a man of uncommon integrity who did the right things for the right reasons. As American politics became progressively coarser and angrier, Senator Lieberman was unfailingly civil and decent to political allies and opponents alike," the group said.

Joe Lieberman gives his concession speech after losing the Connecticut Democratic Senate bid to Ned Lamont in New Haven, Connecticut, on Aug. 8, 2006. (Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)

In a statement, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., shared his condolences to Liberman's family and called him a "one of one" for his political "singularity."

"Connecticut is shocked by Senator Lieberman’s sudden passing," SMurphy said in a statement on X. 

"In an era of political carbon copies, Joe Lieberman was a singularity. One of one. He fought and won for what he believed was right and for the state he adored," Murphy said. "My thoughts are with Hadassah and the entire family."

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., accompanied by his wife, Hadassah, announces he is retiring in 2012. (AP)

Former President George W. Bush called Lieberman "one of the most decent people" he met in Washington.

"Laura and I are saddened by the loss of Joe Lieberman. Joe was as fine an American as they come and one of the most decent people I met during my time in Washington," the former president said in a statement. 

"As a Democrat, Joe wasn't afraid to engage with Senators from across the aisle and worked hard to earn votes from outside his party. He engaged in serious and thoughtful debate with opposing voices on important issues," he said. "And in both loss and victory, Joe Lieberman was always a gentleman. I'm grateful for Joe's principled service to our country and for the dignity and patriotism he brought to public life.'

"As Laura and I pray for Hadassah and the Lieberman family, we also pray that Joe's example of decency guides our Nation's leaders now and into the future," he said.

No Labels founding chairman and former Sen. Joe Lieberman speaks about the 2024 election at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 18. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

In a statement, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that news of Liberman's passing is "devastating." 

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"This is devastatingly sad. I feel fortunate to have been in his presence, traveling the world in support of America’s interests as we saw it," Graham said. "To Hadassah, I know your heart is broken, but please understand your legion of friends love you dearly. To the Lieberman family, we will be with you through this journey."