Former US Senator Jon Kyl, who steered Kavanaugh confirmation, dies at 84
Former Arizona Republican senator Jon Kyl, who helped guide justice Brett Kavanaugh through his 2018 supreme court confirmation, died Thursday at age 84 from complications of a neurological disease.
Jon Kyl, a former Republican US senator from Arizona, died on Thursday at age 84, his family announced. The cause was complications from a neurological disease; last December Kyl had revealed he was diagnosed with dementia.
His family said in a statement that Kyl belonged to all of Arizona, a state he loved and explored with curiosity, and that serving in Congress was a privilege he honored.
A long political career
An attorney by training, Kyl was elected to the US House in 1986 and then to the Senate in 1994, where he served three full terms. He rose to become the Republican whip, holding that leadership post from 2007 until leaving the Senate at the start of 2013, when his party held the minority.
After leaving office, Kyl worked as a lawyer and lobbyist before returning to public life in 2018 to assist with the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge nominated by Donald Trump to replace Anthony Kennedy on the supreme court.
Brief return to the Senate
While Kavanaugh's nomination was under consideration, Arizona's Republican governor Doug Ducey appointed Kyl to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Senator John McCain. Kyl served the final three months of that year, voted to confirm Kavanaugh, and then resigned, with Republican Martha McSally taking his place.
Arizona's Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, described Kyl as a dedicated statesman who always cared deeply about the state. Senate majority leader John Thune, a Republican, said Kyl loved Arizona and was a true legislator's legislator, adding that he was a hard worker, a dear friend, and would be missed.
