(CNN) On Saturday, an extremely important figure in American political history, Arizona Sen. John McCain, passed away at 81. Following his tour of duty in Vietnam and his long captivity as a POW, McCain devoted his life to one institution -- Congress. And, since the days of President Ronald Reagan, he was a loyal soldier to the conservative movement. McCain also served as part of the Senate's bipartisan "Gang of Eight," that sought a compromise on immigration reform during President George W. Bush's administration. As the Republican nominee in the presidential election of 2008, McCain helped to cement the marriage between the voters who would soon be called Tea Party Republicans and the GOP Party leadership.

Source: CNN August 26, 2018 12:00 UTC