Former U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, a Democrat who represented eastern Ohio in Washington for two terms after winning a write-in campaign, died Sunday in a Florida hospital, the Ohio Democratic Party announced. He was 70.

Wilson had suffered a stroke in February while vacationing with his family and was recovering at a rehabilitation center, Democratic Party officials said. He fell ill Saturday night and was admitted to a hospital in Boynton Beach, where he died at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday with his family by his side, the officials said.

Wilson is unrelated to former Democratic Rep. Charles Wilson of Texas, who died in 2010 at age 76. The Texas Charlie Wilson was the inspiration for the movie 'Charlie Wilson's War,' about covert operations in Afghanistan, in 2007.

The Ohio Charlie Wilson spent 14 years in Columbus and Washington championing for the people of eastern and southeastern Ohio. He secured federal funding for police departments, airport improvements and small business incubators, among other project.

Before being elected to Congress, Wilson served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1997 to 2005. He then served two years in the Ohio Senate.

'I served with Charlie in the State Legislature for six years and he was a loyal friend in good times and bad,' Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said in a statement. 'An outspoken advocate for working people, Charlie ne.