Former U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch dies at age 88

Former Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the former president Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate, has died, his foundation announced Saturday. He was 88.

The big picture: Hatch served from 1977 to 2019, making him Utah’s longest-serving U.S. senator. He died surrounded by family in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 5:30 p.m., the Hatch Foundation said in a statement.

Our thought bubble, via Axios co-founder Mike Allen: Hatch, a Western conservative who wasn’t afraid to work across party lines, counted the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) as one of his closest friends in the Senate. In 1997, they teamed up to create the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). 

What they’re saying: Hatch Foundation executive director Matt Sandgren said in a statement that the late senator “personified the American Dream.”

• “Born the son of a carpenter and plaster lather, he overcame the poverty of his youth to become a United States Senator,” Sandgren said.
• “With the hardships of his upbringing always fresh in his mind, he made it his life’s mission to expand freedom and opportunity for others — and the results speak for themselves. From tax and trade to religious liberty and healthcare, few legislators have had a greater impact on American life than Orrin Hatch.”

Go deeper: Full bio.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.