Joe Lieberman, who became the first Jewish person to join a major party US presidential ticket in 2000 when Al Gore selected him as his running mate, died after suffering complications from a fall.

Former US senator Joe Lieberman, who ran as the Democratic nominee for vice-president in the hotly contested 2000 election and became the first Jewish candidate on a major-party ticket for the White House, alongside presidential candidate Al Gore, has died at the age of 82.

According to a family statement, the former Connecticut senator passed away on Wednesday due to complications from a fall in New York. His wife Hadassah and members of his family were by his side.

Gore said he was “profoundly saddened” to learn of Lieberman’s passing.

“It was an honour to stand side-by-side with him on the campaign trail,” he said in a statement. “I’ll remain forever grateful for his tireless efforts to build a better future for America.”

When Gore chose Lieberman as his vice presidential candidate, the senator became the first Jewish running mate to represent a major party in the 2000 general elections.

The disputed election was eventually decided by the Supreme Court in favour of then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush. Lieberman had hailed his selection as a historic breakthrough for Jewish Americans.

One of the few high-profile independents in the US political sphere, Lieberman largely caucused with the Democratic Party during his four terms as a Connecticut senator. He was a powerful legislator, and his support was sought after in Washington.

“Senator Lieberman’s love of God, his family, and America endured throughout his life of service in the public interest,” his family said in its statement

A longtime Democrat, Lieberman broke from his party ranks on several issues – including its opposition to the Iraq War. He won his final term in office in 2006 as an independent.

His career in national politics, however, came to an end in 2013, after he announced his retirement. For years, he had faced criticism for his hawkish approach to the US’s war in Iraq.

In recent years, Lieberman was known as the founding chairman of the No Labels movement, a centrist political organisation that aimed to establish a third-party presidential ticket for the general election in 2024.

After his retirement, he continued to exercise influence as a political lobbyist, lawyer, and advocate for groups like No Labels.

“Senator Lieberman was a singular figure in American political life who always put his country before party,” the third-party political group No Labels said in a statement Wednesday.

Lieberman was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1942, and worked his way through state politics, serving as both a state senator and the state attorney general before launching himself to the US Senate in 1989.

He was one of the most prominent Jewish politicians in the US during his career. His White House run with Gore was a milestone for Jewish Americans, and he was public in the exercise of his faith.

As a senator, Lieberman also backed several progressive policies. He notably helped end the Pentagon’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, which barred LGBTQ people from openly serving in the military.

“When I look back at my own career, the legislative achievements I am proudest to have been part of… all were achieved only because a critical mass of Democrats and Republicans found common ground,” Lieberman said during his farewell speech from the Senate in 2012.