Jon Kyl, 1942-2026

Published September 25, 2026 5:05am ET



Washington has never lacked for senators who enjoy the cameras. It has always been shorter on those who prefer the cloakroom, the committee markup, and the late-night negotiation that never makes the evening news. Jon Kyl, the former Arizona senator who died Sept. 17 at the age of 84, belonged to the second group by temperament and by choice. Time magazine nicknamed him “the Operator.” Colleagues called him a workhorse. In a body that runs on spectacle and substance, he specialized in the latter.

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