Fred Thompson, Former Senator And "Law And Order" Star, Dies

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Fred Thompson — the former U.S. Senator, Republican presidential candidate, and actor — died Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 73.

According to a statement from his family released to the Tennessean and the New York Times, Thompson died from a recurrence of lymphoma.

"It is with a heavy heart and a deep sense of grief that we share the passing of our brother, husband, father, and grandfather who died peacefully in Nashville surrounded by his family," the statement read.

"Fred was the same man on the floor of the Senate, the movie studio, or the town square of Lawrenceburg, his home," his family said.

After representing Tennessee in the U.S. Senate from 1994 to 2003, Thompson went on to play the role of a district attorney in NBC's Law and Order between 2002 and 2007.

In 2007, he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for president, but dropped out of the race in 2008.

"Fred believed that the greatness of our nation was defined by the hard work, faith, and honesty of its people," his family said. "He had an enduring belief in the exceptionalism of our country, and that America could provide the opportunity for any boy or girl, in any corner of our country, to succeed in life. "

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SOURCE: BuzzFeed