SHELBYVILLE — J. Patrick Lyons, who ran unsuccessfully seven times for the U.S. House of Representatives and mounted legal challenges against opponents in those races, has died. He was 62.
Lyons sought the Democratic nomination for the 4th District House seat in 1992 but was ultimately defeated in the primary by Rep. Jim Cooper.
He ran as an independent in 1994, 1996 and 2000 for the seat and as an independent in 2002 and 2004 in the 6th District. He ran in the 6th District Democratic primary this year and was defeated by U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon.
Lyons filed an unsuccessful suit against Van Hilleary, who served as 4th District congressman from 1995 to 2003, claiming that Hilleary's membership in the National Guard made him ineligible to hold a congressional seat.
Lyons also claimed in a lawsuit against Gordon that an incumbent congressman could not succeed himself. A hearing on the lawsuit was scheduled for Oct. 13.
Lyons, who was a veteran, was self-taught on legal issues but was not a lawyer.
