Former Vermont state Senator Rod Gander has died of heart failure. He was 76 and had fought a years-long battle with lung cancer.
The Windham County Democrat was elected to the Senate in 2002 and 2004 after a distinguished career that included serving as chief of correspondents at Newsweek magazine and serving as president of Marlboro College.
Vermont Congressman Peter Welch, who was president pro-tem of the Senate during Gander’s time in office, called the Brattleboro resident the conscience of the Senate, saying he brought a combination of passion and tolerance to politics.
AP Photo/Toby Talbot