Jim Inhofe, the longest serving senator from Oklahoma, has died, his family announced. He was 89.
Inhofe died after a stroke over the July 4 holiday, his family said in a statement.
“He passed peacefully, surrounded by his wife Kay, and his three surviving children, Molly, Jimmy and Katy,” the statement said. “His son Perry passed away several years ago in a private airplane accident in Tulsa.”
Inhofe served in the U.S. Senate from 1994 until his retirement in 2023. During his time in office, he chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Armed Services Committee.
Sen. James Inhofe speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill, June 30, 2020.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP, FILE
He was known for his opposition to climate science and famously brought a snowball onto the floor of the Senate in 2015 as evidence that global warming is not real.
Inhofe also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1994.
Prior to serving in Congress, Inhofe served in various elected offices in Oklahoma, including in the state Senate, the state House of Representatives and as the mayor of Tulsa.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Inhofe grew up in Oklahoma and attended the University of Tulsa. He served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1958.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
