WASHINGTON — Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, the genteel former Navy secretary who shed the picture of a dilettante to change into a number one
WASHINGTON — Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, the genteel former Navy secretary who shed the picture of a dilettante to change into a number one Republican voice on army coverage throughout 30 years within the Senate, died on Tuesday evening. He was 94.
He died at his residence in Alexandria, Va., of coronary heart failure, in accordance with an e mail from Susan Magill, a former chief of workers.
Mr. Warner could have for a time been finest recognized nationally because the dashing sixth husband of the actress Elizabeth Taylor. Her superstar was a draw on the marketing campaign path throughout his troublesome first race for the Senate in 1978, an election he gained narrowly to begin his political profession. The couple divorced in 1982.
Within the latter levels of his congressional service, Mr. Warner was additionally acknowledged as a protector of the Senate’s traditions and was credited with making an attempt to forge bipartisan consensus on knotty points such because the Iraq warfare, judicial nominations and the therapy of terror detainees.
Although a well-liked determine in his state, Mr. Warner was usually at odds with Virginia conservatives. He grew to become the Republican nominee in his first marketing campaign solely after the person who had defeated him at a state social gathering conference was killed in a aircraft crash.
He angered the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation together with his persistent backing of the assault weapons ban and infuriated some state Republicans in 1994 when he refused to assist Oliver L. North, the previous White Home aide on the middle of the Iran-contra scandal, in his bid for the Senate. And he opposed the Supreme Court docket nomination of Decide Robert H. Bork.
However his assist inside the social gathering mainstream, coupled with backing from independents attracted by his reasonable views on social points akin to abortion and homosexual rights, allowed him to fend off challenges from each the best and left. He gained election to his fifth and last time period in 2002 towards solely token opposition.
Mr. Warner introduced in August 2007 that he wouldn’t run in 2008, noting that he can be 88 if he completed his time period and telling associates that he questioned whether or not he would have the power for the demanding job. His demise was reported Wednesday by Politico.
A full obituary will probably be revealed quickly.