Don Young, longest serving US congressman, dies at 88

By AP 19 March 2022, 6:09 am

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In this June 28, 2019, file photo, U.S. Rep. Don Young answers a reporter's question after filing paperwork for re-election at the Alaska Division of Elections in Anchorage, Alaska. Young, the longest-serving member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, died Friday, March 18, 2022. He was 88. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)

JUNEAU, Alaska — Don Young, a blunt-speaking Republican who was the longest-serving current member of Congress, has died. He was 88.

His office announces Young’s death in a statement.

“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 beloved wife Anne was by his side,” says the statement from Young’s congressional office.

A cause of death was not provided. Young’s office says details about plans for a celebration of Young’s life were expected in the coming days.

Young, who was first elected to the US House in 1973, was known for his brusque style. In his later years in office, his off-color comments and gaffes sometimes overshadowed his work. During his 2014 reelection bid, he described himself as intense and less-than-perfect but said he wouldn’t stop fighting for Alaska. Alaska has just one House member.