Francis X. Bellotti died Tuesday morning.
Francis X. Bellotti, who served as attorney general in Massachusetts for more than a decade and ran for governor three times, died Tuesday morning at the age of 101.
His passing was announced in a statement by his family, The Boston Globe reported.
“We will always be grateful for my dad for his endless love and support,” Bellotti’s son and former assistant district attorney, Peter Bellotti, said in a statement. “He was always there for us as a guiding light in all our endeavors. I learned from him the power of the law and the special responsibility of serving as an officer of the court.”
Throughout his career, Bellotti was a champion of civil rights, consumer protections, gay rights, and environmental safeguards, according to the Globe. He ran for governor, unsuccessfully, in 1964, 1970, and 1989.
His first foray into campaigning came in 1958, when he ran unsuccessfully for Norfolk District Attorney. Four years later, he was elected lieutenant governor, serving alongside Gov. Endicott Peabody.