Former Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona says he has dementia

Phoenix — Former Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona announced his withdrawal from nationalist beingness connected Tuesday pursuing a dementia diagnosis.

Kyl, 83, represented Arizona successful some chambers of Congress for astir 3 decades. Most of those years were successful the Senate, including a word arsenic number whip.

Former Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. successful October 2023. Tom Williams /CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

"My household and I present caput down a way filled with moments of joyousness and expanding difficulties," Kyl said successful a statement. "I americium grateful beyond look for their emotion and support, successful these coming days arsenic successful each the days of my life. Despite this diagnosis, I stay a precise fortunate man."

Kyl near the Senate successful 2013 and joined the lobbying steadfast Covington and Burling. In 2018, helium was appointed by then-Gov. Doug Ducey, a chap Republican, to capable the vacancy caused by the decease of erstwhile Sen. John McCain. Kyl served respective months earlier rejoining the lobbying firm.

Kyl leveraged his expertise connected h2o argumentation successful Congress to summation support of tribal h2o rights settlements, said Sarah Porter of Arizona State University. He was an "important participant" successful negotiations that created the state's h2o rules, said Porter, manager of the university's Kyl Center for Water Policy that is named aft the erstwhile senator.

As a lobbyist, Kyl helped usher the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

• Arizona