Jon Kyl, one of Arizona’s longest-serving conservatives in Washington, has fully stepped away from public life after nearly three decades in Congress.
On Wednesday, the former senior United States Senator from Arizona disclosed that he has been diagnosed with dementia.
The 83-year-old Republican said the diagnosis will prompt him to withdraw from public engagement and focus on life with his family, describing the path ahead as “filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties.”
In his statement, Kyl expressed gratitude for his long career and for the support of his loved ones, noting that he remains “a very fortunate man.”
Kyl served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995, then moved to the U.S. Senate, where he represented the Grand Canyon State from 1995 until his retirement in 2013. Over that span, he became a central figure in Republican policy debates and in Senate leadership.
He rose to national prominence as Senate minority whip, the chamber’s second-highest leadership position. In that role, Kyl helped shape legislative strategy during some of the party’s most consequential battles over national security, spending, and judicial nominations.
After leaving the Senate, Kyl appeared to have closed the door on elected office. That changed briefly in 2018, when Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey appointed him to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. John McCain. Kyl served through the end of that year, providing a temporary bridge during a period of transition for the state.
Throughout his career, Kyl focused on issues of particular importance to Arizona, including water policy, tribal rights, and defense. He was also a reliable conservative vote on judicial matters, including supporting the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The Hill continues, reflecting on Kyl’s imprint on his family and the ongoing, insidious impact of dementia:
The son of former Rep. John Henry Kyl (R-Iowa) and Arlene Kyl, the former lawmaker was born in Oakland, Neb. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1964 and received his law degree from the school two years later.
Kyl married his wife, Caryll, in 1964. They have two children and four grandchildren.
As of 2021, roughly 57 million people worldwide had dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases each year, according to the World Health Organization. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
A study published in Nature Medicine earlier this year found that dementia cases in the U.S. are expected to double to roughly 1 million new cases per year by 2060.
For now, Kyl’s departure marks the end of an era for Arizona Republicans and for a lawmaker who played a steady, behind-the-scenes role in shaping conservative policy in Congress.
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