Jon Kyl: Longtime Arizona Senator and Senate Minority Whip Dies at 84

Jon Kyl was an American attorney, lobbyist and Republican politician best known for his long service as a U.S. senator from Arizona. Born on April 25, 1942, in Oakland, Nebraska, he was a leading voice on taxes, national security and judicial nominations during nearly three decades in Congress.

Kyl served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Arizona's 4th district from 1987 to 1995, then in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2013, including as Senate Minority Whip from 2007 to 2013. Time magazine named him one of America's 10 best senators in 2006. In 2018 he was appointed to the Senate seat of the late John McCain and served until the end of that year, making him only the sixth person to return to the Senate by appointment since the Seventeenth Amendment.

Kyl was married to Caryll Collins from 1964, and they had two children and four grandchildren. He announced a dementia diagnosis in December 2025 and died at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 17, 2026, at age 84 from complications of a neurological disease. Remembered as a respected legislator and a gentle colleague, he served Arizona for decades.

Achievements: Served in the U.S. House for Arizona's 4th district (1987-1995), served in the U.S. Senate (1995-2013), served as Senate Minority Whip (2007-2013), returned to the Senate by appointment (2018).

Birth: April 25, 1942 - Oakland, Nebraska.

Profession: Attorney, politician and lobbyist.

Interesting Facts: Kyl was editor-in-chief of the Arizona Law Review while in law school. He was a Presbyterian.