Former Republican Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar passed away Sunday morning at the age of 87.
Lugar served six terms in the U.S. Senate and was perhaps best known for his bipartisanship. Lugar was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 by President Barack Obama, less than a year after leaving office. (RELATED: Sen. Richard Lugar To Seek Re-Election In 2012)
Tributes poured in for Lugar almost immediately after news of his death began to circulate with conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats alike praising the Senate icon.
Senator Richard Lugar is a towering figure in Hoosier history and one of the greatest statesmen ever to serve in the U.S. Senate. As our longest serving Senator, he worked tirelessly with leaders across the globe to better the state and the country he loved.
— Senator Mike Braun (@SenatorBraun) April 28, 2019
Indiana and America have lost an American hero today in Richard Lugar. He dedicated his life to serving our country. I am personally crushed by this loss as he was a hero and mentor to me, and I always tried to live up to his example in the United States Senate.
— Joe Donnelly (@JoeforIndiana) April 28, 2019
America has lost a true statesman in Dick Lugar. A great mayor, senator, and mentor, he made the world safer, stood up for better foreign policy, and knew how to work across the aisle. https://t.co/wD9XwElEbY
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 28, 2019
Lugar’s passing came just weeks after the death of another Senate icon from the Hoosier state in long-time Democratic Sen. Birch Bayh. Bayh died in March at the age of 91.
Lugar and Bayh each served in the senate for decades and were widely revered for their bipartisanship and leadership on critical issues.