Former U.S. Rep. Bill Ratchford, who served in both Hartford and Washington, has died at 76.
Ratchford, a Democrat, lost to an up-and-coming Waterbury Republican, John G. Rowland, in the battle for the 5th Congressional District in 1984. Ratchford had also served as the state House Speaker in Hartford.
A graduate of Georgetown University's law school, Ratchford had a long political career. He served for 12 years in the state legislature, including four years in the powerful position as Speaker. He later became the state's commissioner of aging under Democrat Ella Grasso, and he then won the first of three terms in Congress from the 5th District. That district has since been redistricted as Connecticut lost a Congressional seat.