Byron Mallott, who served as Alaska’s lieutenant governor as part of a “unity ticket” with Gov. Bill Walker, has died, Walker said Friday.

Walker called Mallott’s death a “huge shock” and said the two maintained a relationship since leaving office in 2018. He said his last communication with Mallott was about 10 days ago.

Mallott resigned shortly before the 2018 election for what Walker described as an inappropriate overture to a woman.

The two made a political splash in 2014 when Walker changed his party affiliation from Republican and was elected as an independent with Democratic support as part of a so-called unity ticket, with Mallott, a Democrat and an Alaska Native leader, as his lieutenant governor.

Mallott died Friday at age 77, said Matt Carle, director of corporate communications for Sealaska, an Alaska Native corporation with which Mallott had longstanding ties. Mallott’s son, Anthony Mallott, is Sealaska’s current CEO.

• This is an Associated Press report.