Jon Kyl, a former United States Senator from Arizona who served from 1995 to 2013 and briefly returned to the Senate in 2018, died on September 17, 2026, at the age of 84. Kyl was widely regarded as one of the most influential legislators from the American Southwest during his tenure in Congress.

Kyl represented Arizona in both the House of Representatives and the Senate over a career spanning several decades. In the Senate, he rose to become the Republican Whip, the second-highest position in the Senate Republican caucus, making him one of the most powerful figures in the chamber during his time in office.

Among his most lasting contributions was his work on water policy, a critical issue for Arizona and the broader Colorado River basin. Kyl was instrumental in negotiating agreements that helped govern water distribution across the drought-prone Southwest, a legacy that water policy experts say will endure for generations.

Kyl briefly returned to public service in 2018 when he was appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by the death of Senator John McCain, though he resigned from that position later the same year. Prior to his Senate career, he served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives beginning in 1987.

Tributes from colleagues across the political spectrum noted his reputation for diligence and his command of complex policy details. He is remembered as a significant figure in Arizona's political history and in the broader legislative history of the United States Senate.