Cool Moose Party founder Robert Healey, a well-known Rhode Island political figure who made multiple attempts to seek statewide office, has died. He was 58.
Barrington Town Council President June Sager Speakman says Barrington police informed her that Healey died on Sunday night. Healey lived in the town.
The medical examiner's office says the cause of death is pending.
Known for his long-flowing beard and unconventional campaigns, Healey was an attorney who ran for either governor or lieutenant governor seven times from 1986 until 2014. He founded the Cool Moose Party in 1994 and later ran as a Moderate Party candidate.
He ran for lieutenant governor in 2010, pledging to abolish the office.
In 2014, he surprised many by winning 21 percent of the vote in a three-way gubernatorial race.
Rhode Island's Cool Moose Party Founder Robert Healey Dies
Copyright AP - Associated Press
