Former GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson dies at age 76

Former Sen Johnny Isakson (R-GA), whose retirement eventually led to his seat going to current Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), has passed away at age 76.

According to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the lawmaker died early Sunday morning after losing his decade-long fight with Parkinson’s disease.

According to the report, "From his successful career in real estate to when Georgia’s Republican Party was mostly confined to a small knot in Cobb County to Congress, Isakson learned early on what it took to get two sides to an agreement. And he continued to ply those skills even after the GOP cemented its political dominance in the state, making him a uniquely beloved figure among Democrats and Republicans alike for more than four decades."

The GOP lawmaker stepped down in 2019 which led to Gov. Brian Kemp (R) selecting businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to fill his seat. Loeffler then lost in a run-off in Januray to her Democratic opponent.

The report notes that his family is still finalizing funeral arrangements.