By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A longtime Arizona Republican congressman has died, months after he announced his dementia diagnosis.
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Jon Kyl, who served in the U.S. House from 1987 to 1995 and the Senate from 1995 to 2013, died Thursday.
Last December, the former Republican senator announced he would be withdrawing from public life after he was diagnosed with dementia.
Kyl was born and raised in Nebraska and went to college at the University of Arizona, where he received his law degree. He represented Arizona in both chambers of Congress for nearly three decades. Most of those years were in the Senate including a term as minority whip.
Kyl left the Senate in 2013 and joined the lobbying firm Covington and Burling. In 2018 he was appointed by then-Gov. Doug Ducey, a fellow Republican, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former Sen. John McCain. Kyl served several months before rejoining the lobbying firm.
As a lobbyist, Kyl helped guide the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
State, local leaders pay respects
Former Gov. Doug Ducey and Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell paid homage to the late political leader.
“Jon Kyl gave Arizona nearly three decades of principled, thoughtful leadership — and he gave me something just as valuable: his mentorship and friendship. I’ll miss him deeply. Rest in peace, Senator Kyl,” Ducey posted on X.
“Devastating news. Senator Kyl was, in the truest sense of the word, a statesman. In addition to his many, many accomplishments, some do not know the efforts he extended to help children and other victims of sex crimes by championing evidence rule changes which continue to have an incredibly positive impact. My prayers go out to his family,” Mitchell posted.
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Secretary of State Adrian Fontes shared condolences to Kyl’s loved ones and highlighted his contributions to tribal water rights.
“On behalf of the entire Department of State, I officer my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of former United States Senator Jon Kyl. During his nearly three decades in Congress, he devoted himself to serving Arizona and its people,” Fontes said.
“He made a lasting contribution through his work on tribal water rights, helping bring stakeholders together and advance important water settlement in Arizona. His dedication to public service and to resolving some of the West’s most complex water challenges is his legacy. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all who had the privilege of knowing him. May he rest in peace,” he added.
Former Republican Sen. Jeff Flake praised Kyl for his longtime work, adding that “Arizona has lost a giant.”
“Jon Kyl was one of the most diligent and effective public servants Arizona has ever had. I was honored to follow him in the U.S. Senate, where his example of seriousness, integrity and devotion to public service was known to all. Cheryl and I send our deepest condolences to Caryll and the entire Kyl family,” Flake posted on X.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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