Former Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson dies at the age of 76

(CNN) — Former Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Republican who held a agelong vocation successful politics, has died astatine the property of 76.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said successful a connection Sunday the Peach authorities “lost a giant” and remembered Isakson arsenic “one of its top statesmen, and a servant person dedicated to making his authorities and state amended than helium recovered it.”

“Johnny Isakson personified what it means to beryllium a Georgian. Johnny was besides a beloved person to Marty, the girls, and maine — arsenic helium was to truthful many,” Kemp said successful a statement.

Isakson died conscionable days up of his 77th birthday, according to the official Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

He served arsenic legislator for astir 15 years until he resigned from bureau successful 2019 citing wellness concerns. He had country to region a maturation connected his kidney astatine the clip of his announcement and was recovering from a autumn that fractured 4 ribs, each portion his Parkinson’s illness continued to progress.

“I americium leaving a occupation I emotion due to the fact that my wellness challenges are taking their toll connected me, my household and my staff,” Isakson said astatine the time. “With the mounting wellness challenges I americium facing, I person concluded that I volition not beryllium capable to bash the occupation implicit the agelong word successful the mode the citizens of Georgia deserve. It goes against each fibre of my being to permission successful the mediate of my Senate term, but I cognize it’s the close happening to bash connected behalf of my state.”

Born successful Fulton County, Georgia, helium began his authoritative governmental vocation arsenic a subordinate of the state’s wide assembly successful 1976. He launched an unsuccessful bid to beryllium politician of Georgia successful 1990 and was elected to the authorities Senate successful 1992. Isakson besides ran for U.S. Senate successful 1996 and was seat of Georgia’s Board of Education earlier helium won a spot successful the U.S. House, wherever helium served successful the enclosure from 1999 to 2004.

Former Republican Sen. David Perdue, who was successful the Senate with Isakson from 2015 until Isakson retired, besides remembered his chap Georgian successful a connection Sunday morning.

“Johnny was an effectual colleague, a mentor I looked up to, and a person whom I profoundly cherished,” Perdue wrote. “The past fewer years person not been casual for Johnny, but helium responded to each obstacle with stalwart resilience. His adust wit and benignant bosom volition beryllium missed by everyone who knew him.”

This communicative has been updated with further information.

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