Various elected officials shared their statements Wednesday on the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy.

“Late last night, America lost an unwavering advocate for equality, liberty and the well being of our children. With the passing of Senator Kennedy we mourn together, while celebrating his legacy and life.

“I last saw Senator Kennedy speak almost exactly one year ago in Denver; there, to a crowd of thousands, weak from illness but powered by optimism, he delivered a message in which all Americans can find hope. It was a brief, yet incredible moment to see a man who had seen so much, share a vision for the future.

“The words he spoke that night ring especially true today, and remind me of the work we all have left to do: ‘… and this is the cause of my life — new hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American — north, south, east, west, young, old — will have decent, quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege. . . We are all Americans. This is what we do. We reach the moon. We scale the heights. I know it. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. And we can do it again.'”

– Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson

“The Senate has lost the lion’s roar of the left. “His wife Victoria, his family, friends and staff are in our thoughts and prayers.” “When I came to the Senate, Senator Kennedy was one of the first to welcome me and invite me to his office to discuss legislation where we might work together and move ahead. I was privileged to work with Senator Kennedy on education, health care and disabled issues.

“There were two Ted’s, one was personable and kind to those he met regardless of party affiliation, and the other was what we saw on the Senate floor, a passionate and fiery advocate for the cause.

“I recall one of the first times I had the privilege of serving as presiding officer of the Senate when Senator Kennedy had the floor. His speech was passionate and delivered at top volume. He asked me how much of his time remained. I replied and noted that the audio system was indeed working. He continued on with his speech and after about a minute, smiled at me, waggled his finger in my direction, and kept right on going, at full volume. It was quintessential Ted Kennedy. He will be greatly missed.”

– U.S. Senator Pat Roberts

“Ted and I served together for 35 years, 27.5 of those in the U.S. Senate where we worked together on many important pieces of legislation, including the Martin Luther King Holiday Bill, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Social Security amendments. He is the hardest working Senator I met. He was always prepared. He was a strong ally if you were in agreement but a formidable opponent when he had a different view. Though he had his own philosophy, he always reached across the aisle for a bipartisan solution on issues that mattered to the American people and he could grasp where those compromises could be found better than anyone.

“As the head of the large Kennedy family, he will be missed by his many loved ones and countless friends. Elizabeth and I extend our deepest sympathies to Vicki and the family.

“One of the powerhouses of all time, Ted Kennedy’s absence in the Capitol will be felt for decades to come. One good example is the health care debate where he would be right in the middle of it.”

– Former Senator Bob Dole

“Today we mourn the loss of one of the most dedicated and compassionate public servants in the history of the US Senate with the passing of Ted Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was a tireless champion for the hopes and dreams of millions of ordinary Americans. He made the struggle of the uninsured, the discriminated against, and the worker his own and devoted his life and labor their cause. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as we mourn the loss of an icon. May Senator Kennedy rest in peace and may the dreams he fought for soon be realized.”

– Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Larry Gates, on behalf of the party