NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: James Buckley, a former conservative US senator and a federal judge during the Ronald Reagan era, has died at the age of 100, the party told CNN on Friday, August 18.

Buckley became famous nationwide in 1970 when he won in New York under the Conservative Party banner, thereby becoming the state's first senator from a third-party. His tenure encompassed a single term, during which he advocated for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion with specific exemptions.

Buckley had also urged former president Richard Nixon to step down after the Watergate scandal. In a statement, the Conservative party called the former senator a "man for all seasons."

How did James Buckley die?

Buckley's son Peter, announced his father's death but did not specify a cause of death. He died at a hospital in Washington.

Upon reaching the milestone of 100 years in March, Buckley attained the distinction of being the oldest living former senator, as reported by The Heritage Foundation. He lived in Bethesda, Maryland, until his death, according to his congressional biography.

Who was the oldest-living former US senator?

Buckley was the oldest-living former senator. He was born in New York City on March 9, 1923. His congressional biography stated that he completed his undergraduate studies at Yale University in 1943.

During World War II, he served in the US Navy before embarking on legal studies at Yale once more, culminating in the attainment of his law degree in 1949.

Within his family circle, his siblings include William F Buckley, the late architect of the National Review and a notable conservative pundit who entered politics by becoming a candidate in New York City.

What are some of James Buckley’s memorable achievements?

Buckley's most enduring legacy stems from his role as plaintiff in a pivotal legal case concerning campaign finance, known as Buckley v Valeo in 1976. This lawsuit contributed to the dismantling of certain regulations on political funding that had been instituted after the Watergate scandal.

The subsequent legal outcome laid the groundwork for a series of judgments, including the influential Citizens United v Federal Election Commission in 2010, which endorsed the idea that financial resources were equivalent to speech.