Former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl Dead at 84

Former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has passed away at age 84.

According to his family, the cause was complications from a neurological disease that manifested as dementia.

In December 2025, he announced the diagnosis and withdrew from public life.

“My family and I now head down a path filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties,” Kyl said. “I am grateful beyond expression for their love and support, in these coming days as in all the days of my life. Despite this diagnosis, I remain a very fortunate man.”

Kyl served in the House from 1987 to 1995 and the Senate from 1995 to 2013 (including as minority whip). He briefly returned to the Senate in 2018 after being appointed to fill the vacancy left by John McCain’s death.

His family shared in a statement, “We know that Jon belonged to all of Arizona, a state he loved and explored with vigor, curiosity and wonder. Serving his state and nation in Congress was a privilege and responsibility he honored and respected. We are grateful for his full and meaningful public life.”

“We are grateful, too, for his full and meaningful family life, guided by his faith and endowed with honor, warmth and love. We cherish his presence in our lives and are thankful he has joined his beloved Creator, Jesus Christ.”

During his career, Kyl’s clout in Congress earned him a spot on the Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people in 2010.

In the Senate, Arizona’s Jon Kyl has built a reputation for his encyclopedic knowledge of domestic and foreign policy, and his hard work and leadership. Few people have his command of policy, his knowledge of its nuances or his grip on how they fit together. This is why so many of his Senate colleagues look to him for policy advice. Kyl, 68, is a principled conservative who knows what is attainable. He believes in the wisdom contained in a sign on President Reagan’s desk that said, “There’s no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.”

AZ Senate President Warren Petersen (R) issued the following statement: “Arizona has lost one of its finest statesmen. Jon Kyl combined conservative conviction with an extraordinary command of policy and a deep respect for public service. He approached every issue with discipline, understood the details, and never lost sight of the people he represented.”

“His leadership strengthened America’s national defense, protected taxpayers, advanced conservative policies, and helped secure Arizona’s water future. Whether he was negotiating complex water agreements or helping guide our nation’s security policy, Senator Kyl brought credibility, good judgment, and a determination to deliver results. He earned the respect of people across the political spectrum without compromising his principles.”

“Just as important, Senator Kyl understood that public service is about more than holding office. It is about protecting the country, solving difficult problems, and leaving the next generation stronger than the one before it. He set an example that my colleagues and I continue to look to in our own service to Arizona.”

“Denisse and I join Arizonans in mourning his passing and praying for Caryll, their children and grandchildren, and everyone who knew and loved him.”