FORMER US senator and two-term Democratic governor of Florida, Bob Graham, passed away at the age of 87, as revealed by his family yesterday.
Graham served in elected positions for nearly forty years, starting as a Florida state representative in 1966 and retiring from the US Senate in 2005 after his third term.
His family stated that he dedicated his life to improving the world, with his efforts evident in various areas such as environmental conservation and global relations.
As governor of Florida from 1979-1987, he faced challenges such as a significant influx of immigrants from Cuba and Haiti.
Graham also played a key role in investigating government failures leading up to the September 11 attacks as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Despite retiring from the Senate, he continued to be involved in important inquiries and was tapped by former president Barack Obama to co-chair an inquiry into the major Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed her condolences, describing Graham as a patriotic American and a valuable member of the Senate.