Jon Kyl
Jon Llewellyn Kyl (/ˈkaɪl/ KYLE; born April 25, 1942) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as a United States Senator for Arizona from 1995 to 2013. Following the death of John McCain in 2018, Kyl briefly returned to the Senate, leaving office after the appointment of Martha McSally in 2019. A Republican, he held both of Arizona's Senate seats at different times, serving alongside McCain during his first stint. Kyl was Senate Minority Whip from 2007 until 2013. He first joined the lobbying firm Covington & Burling after retiring in 2013, then rejoined in 2019.
Jon Kyl | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2018 | |
| United States Senator from Arizona | |
| In office September 4, 2018 – December 31, 2018 | |
| Appointed by | Doug Ducey |
| Preceded by | John McCain |
| Succeeded by | Martha McSally |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Dennis DeConcini |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Flake |
| Senate Minority Whip | |
| In office December 19, 2007 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Trent Lott |
| Succeeded by | John Cornyn |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 4th district | |
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Eldon Rudd |
| Succeeded by | John Shadegg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jon Llewellyn Kyl April 25, 1942 Oakland, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Caryll Collins (m. 1964) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | John Henry Kyl Arlene Griffith |
| Education | University of Arizona (BA, LLB) |
The son of U.S. Representative John Henry Kyl and Arlene (née Griffith) Kyl, Kyl was born and raised in Nebraska and lived for some time in Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Arizona. He worked in Phoenix, Arizona as an attorney and lobbyist before winning election to the United States House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 1995. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994 and continued to be re-elected by comfortable margins until his retirement in January 2013. In 2006, he was recognized by Time magazine as one of America's Ten Best Senators. Kyl was ranked by National Journal in 2007 as the fourth-most conservative U.S. Senator. He has been a fixture of Republican policy leadership posts, chairing the Republican Policy Committee (2003–2006) and the Republican Conference (2006–2007) before becoming Senate Minority Whip until his retirement in 2013. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010 for his persuasive role in the Senate.
After leaving the Senate in 2013, Kyl worked as an attorney and lobbyist and then worked to shepherd the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.
In September 2018, Kyl was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to serve in the Class 3 Senate seat left vacant by the death of John McCain. Kyl is the first person to return to the Senate via appointment since New Hampshire Republican Norris Cotton in 1975. Kyl resigned from the Senate effective December 31, 2018, and was succeeded by Martha McSally.