Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, a Republican who spent more than a quarter-century serving in Congress, announced Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with dementia and will be withdrawing from public life, closing the chapter on a long career in conservative leadership and public service.
Kyl, who is 83, shared the news in a personal statement reported by Associated Press. In the statement, he reflected on the road ahead with humility and gratitude, acknowledging both the challenges and the support surrounding him.
“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 represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2013, becoming a key figure in Republican leadership and rising to the role of minority whip during his final years in office. Known as a disciplined conservative voice, he played a major role in shaping GOP strategy during years of divided government.
After his initial retirement from the Senate, Kyl was called back into service in 2018, when former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey appointed him to temporarily fill the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. John McCain. Kyl returned to Washington that fall but stepped down just a few months later, in December 2018, and was succeeded by Martha McSally.
Between his two Senate stints, Kyl played a pivotal behind-the-scenes role in guiding the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh through the upper chamber, helping shepherd the confirmation during a contentious political moment.
Before his time in the Senate, Kyl served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995, representing Arizona’s 4th Congressional District. His career in Congress spanned eras of major political change, and he earned a reputation as a serious lawmaker focused on national security, judicial nominations, and conservative principles.
Born in Oakland, Nebraska, Kyl was the son of former Rep. John Henry Kyl of Iowa and Arlene Kyl. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1964 and earned his law degree from the same institution two years later. That same year, he married his wife, Caryll. The couple has two children and four grandchildren.
Kyl’s announcement also brings renewed attention to the growing impact of dementia. As of 2021, approximately 57 million people worldwide were living with dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed each year, according to the World Health Organization. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of the condition.
A study published earlier this year in Nature Medicine found that new dementia cases in the United States are expected to double, reaching roughly 1 million per year by 2060.
For many conservatives, Kyl’s announcement marks a solemn moment of reflection on a life spent in service to the country. As he steps away from public view, supporters across the political spectrum are recognizing his decades-long commitment to Arizona and to the principles he championed throughout his career.
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