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U.S. Rep. Don Young dead at 88

By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

U.S. Rep. Don Young dead at 88 In this Aug. 26, 2020, file photo, U.S. Rep. Don Young, an Alaska Republican, speaks during a ceremony in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

WASHINGTON — Longtime U.S. Rep. Don Young, an Alaska Republican, has died at age 88, The Associated Press is reporting.

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“It’s with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we announce Congressman Don Young (R-AK), the Dean of the House and revered champion for Alaska, passed away today while traveling home to Alaska to be with the state and people that he loved,” his office said in a statement Friday night. “His beloved wife, Anne, was by his side.”

Young’s staff will share details about funeral arrangements “in the coming days,” according to the statement.

Although his office did not say how he died, the Anchorage Daily News reported that Young “lost consciousness on a flight from Los Angeles to Seattle and couldn’t be resuscitated.”

Young, who was originally from California but moved to Alaska in 1959, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1973, according to the AP. In 2013, he became both the longest-serving House Republican and member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, the news agency reported.

At the time of his death, Young was serving his 25th term and campaigning for reelection in November, according to the Daily News. Under state law, Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy must call a special election in the next three months to fill Young’s seat, the newspaper reported.

Lawmakers from both political parties took to social media Friday night to pay tribute to Young. Here’s what they were saying:

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Photos: U.S. Rep. Don Young through the years Longtime U.S. Rep. Don Young, an Alaska Republican, died Friday, March 18, 2022, at age 88, according to The Associated Press. Here are some memorable photos of the lawmaker through the years. (William F. Campbell/Getty Images)

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