Lowell Palmer Weicker Jr., who was elected to the US Senate in 1970, dedicated almost two decades of service to Connecticut before transitioning to another significant position. Regrettably, the former legislator has recently passed away.
On June 28, Weicker passed away at the age of 92 at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut. His family issued a statement to the media, revealing that his death followed a battle with a brief illness.
Prior to his tenure as a senator, Weicker held a one-term position as a congressman. As a Republican with liberal-conservative views, he gained recognition for his strong opposition to former President Richard Nixon. Back in 1973, he wasn’t widely known, but his significant involvement in the Senate select committee investigating the Watergate scandal thrust him into the public eye.
Lowell Weicker, who died at 92 today, was one of the last truly liberal Republicans. A 3-term senator, he lost in 1988 in a race that saw his Dem opponent, then-CT AG Joe Lieberman, run to his right. In '90, Weicker staged a stunning comeback & became CT's gov as an independent: pic.twitter.com/8v1bJEnKNF
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) June 28, 2023
Throughout the public hearings, Weicker gained a reputation for his relentless criticism of Nixon. In his autobiography titled “Maverick: A Life in Politics,” he expressed that the Watergate affair didn’t damage his political career; on the contrary, it played a pivotal role in shaping it.
In his later years, Weicker believed that there were crucial lessons from the Watergate scandal that Americans failed to grasp. He pointed out that one of these lessons was the possibility of presidents disregarding the US Constitution and its principles.
Weicker’s criticisms of conservatives, including the Bush family, strained his relationship with the Republican Party. As a consequence, he experienced defeat in his re-election campaign for the Senate in 1988. Subsequently, he joined the faculty of George Washington University Law School. However, in 1990, he declared his candidacy for governor under the Connecticut Party.
Weicker emerged victorious in the gubernatorial race and served a single term as governor. He chose not to pursue re-election.
In his personal life, Weicker entered into marriage three times and had five children. He married Claudia, his third wife, in 1984, and they remained married until his passing.
