Former Rep. Eliot Engel Dies at 79 After 32 Years in Congress
Former Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat who served 16 terms in Congress representing the Bronx and Westchester, died Friday at a hospital in the Bronx. He was 79 years old.
Former Rep. Eliot Engel died Friday at a Bronx hospital at age 79, ending a political career that spanned over four decades. The cause of death was not immediately announced.
Engel served 16 terms in Congress from 1989 to 2021, representing parts of the Bronx and Westchester County. He rose to chair the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee and helped lead the first impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
Born in the Bronx on February 18, 1947, Engel started his political career in the state Assembly in 1977. He won his House seat in 1988 by defeating a Democratic fixture in the primary.
Engel's long career ended abruptly in 2020 when he lost his Democratic primary to challenger Jamaal Bowman. His downfall came partly from an overheard comment during a George Floyd protest, where he appeared to say he wanted speaking time only because he had a primary race.
Engel was a longtime fixture in New York politics until his narrow primary defeat marked a generational shift in the Democratic Party.
Engel was a major figure in foreign policy for decades, chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee and helping lead Trump's first impeachment. His 2020 primary loss to Jamaal Bowman marked a shift toward younger, more progressive Democrats in New York politics.
Details about funeral arrangements and memorial services are expected to be announced by his family.
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