Former Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, who spent nearly three decades in Congress, has announced that he is stepping away from public life after being diagnosed with dementia.
Kyl, 83, a Republican who served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, shared the news in a statement released Tuesday, Dec. 30, to the Associated Press, NBC News, and The New York Times.
“I was blessed to represent the people of Arizona in Congress and to have numerous other opportunities to contribute to the political and civic life of our nation and state,” Kyl said.
“However, the time has come for me to withdraw from public life. I have been diagnosed with a neurological disease manifesting as dementia,” he added.
Kyl acknowledged the challenges ahead while expressing gratitude for his family’s support. “My family and I now head down a path filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties,” he 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.”
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Kyl’s congressional career began in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 1995, before moving to the Senate, where he represented Arizona from 1995 until 2013. During his tenure, he rose to become Senate minority whip, serving as the chamber’s second-ranking Republican.
In 2018, Kyl returned briefly to the Senate after being appointed by then–Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. John McCain. He served in that role until 2019.
Throughout his time in the Senate, Kyl played a significant role in shaping water policy, including securing approval for tribal water rights settlements, and was influential in matters related to national defense and intelligence, according to reports from the Associated Press and Fox News.
After initially leaving Congress in 2013, Kyl joined the law firm Covington & Burling, where he worked on government affairs and lobbying matters. During his time there, he helped guide the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh through the Senate. He returned to the firm in 2019 following his second stint in Congress and most recently served as senior counsel before announcing his withdrawal from public life.
