Update:
Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY), who serves as the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, released a statement shortly after Rep. Don Young's death, on behalf of House Republicans:
“An absolutely heartbreaking loss for Congress, Alaska, and the United States of America. As Dean, Don Young was an institution in the House of Representatives, beloved and revered by Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. Almost every Member of Congress has a one-of-a-kind story of their first interaction with Don Young. He was a tireless and exceptional advocate for the people of Alaska. He spent every single day doing what he loved - bringing his gargantuan voice and outsized leadership on behalf of Alaskans. He was a friend to so many. I was proud to call him a friend and colleague. Don Young’s sudden passing leaves a hole in our hearts and he is simply irreplaceable in the People’s House. Our deepest prayers and condolences go to his beloved family, friends, dedicated staff, and constituents," the statement read.
Original:
Stunning news broke on Friday night, as former staffers for Rep. Don Young (R-AK) confirmed that Young, who was the longest-serving member of Congress, died. According to the Anchorage Daily News, which cited Jack Ferguson, Young's former chief of staff, the congressman lost consciousness on a flight from Los Angeles to Seattle and could not be resuscitated. He was 88-years old and had also served as the dean of the U.S. House of Representatives.
His first chief of staff, Jack Ferguson: "He lost consciousness on the flight from L.A. to Seattle and his wife noticed he stopped breathing. They were on descent and they couldn't resuscitate him in time."https://t.co/TZM5tALqjJ https://t.co/YSKfD26j2j
— Nat Herz (@Nat_Herz) March 19, 2022
Young's death was sudden. He had served in Congress for 25 terms and was running for his 26th, having filed for re-election last April, as I covered at the time. The reporting from the Anchorage Daily News noted he even had fundraisers scheduled for next week. He was particularly looking forward to the House flipping from being under Democratic to Republican control.
From the report:
Young was in his 25th term and running for a 26th; he had fundraisers scheduled in Juneau and Anchorage next week. Ferguson said he was eager to serve two more years in a U.S. House that he expected would be flipped from Democratic to Republican control.
“That was his goal, and he felt he could best help the state in the position he’s held all these years,” Ferguson said. “He was vibrant, he had a lot of energy, he’s very clear of mind, spoke clearly about what he wanted to accomplish, set goals that he wanted to make happen, and was happy to be running.”
Young's time in Congress as the longest-serving member is a fascinating timeline of Alaskan history. It was the 49th state to join the union in 1959, with only Hawaii joining afterward. He's served as the state's congressman-at-large since 1973, which is over three-fourths the amount of time that Alaska has been a state.
Don Young has represented Alaska for 78% of the time it has been a state.
— Nathaniel Rakich (@baseballot) March 19, 2022
Young first took office as a result of a special election. Rep. Nick Begich (D-AK), who had served from 1971 until 1972 was presumed dead on December 29, 1972, after a plane crash.
Rep. Young's official Twitter account had just posted earlier on Friday about mental health care for members of the United States Coast Guard.
I worked hard to pass language in the @USCG reauthorization bill to protect servicemembers seeking mental health care from discharge & I applaud USCG for announcing a mental health policy update.
— Rep. Don Young (@repdonyoung) March 18, 2022
Nobody should fear discharge for seeking the care needed to fulfill their duties. pic.twitter.com/iLnUygOV42