Nashville's John Jay Hooker, who was twice the Democratic nominee for governor of Tennessee, has died at the age of 85.
The attorney and entrepreneur was a well-known and colorful political gadfly and perennial candidate.
He bore the Democratic standard for governor in 1970 and 1998.
Senator Lamar Alexander said, "John Jay Hooker Jr.'s remarkable personality spread a bright light across Tennessee government and politics for a half century.
He had friends everywhere. Honey and I will greatly miss his enthusiasm, his sense of purpose, and his friendship."