The former Michigan representative John Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in American history, has died. He was 92.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell says her husband died at his Dearborn home on Thursday.

Dingell was dubbed “Big John” for his imposing 6ft 3in frame and sometimes intimidating manner. The Democrat was a master of legislative deal-making and a staunch advocate for the US auto industry.

Among the landmark laws he supported were Medicare, the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act.

Dingell was first elected in 1955, to fill the House seat vacated by his late father. The family tradition continued when his wife, Debbie, was elected to replace him in his Detroit-area district after he retired in 2014.

Bill Clinton once said that presidents come and go, but “John Dingell goes on forever”.