Buhl Republican state Senator Tom Gannon has died at the age of 62.

The three-term senator had battled an ailment throughout this year’s legislative session and died at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.

A retired Naval officer, Gannon was the chairman of the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee and served on the Senate Education Committee. Gannon won his primary this year, easily defeating Doran Parkins with more than 66 percent of the vote. He was set to face Democrat Bill Chisholm in November’s general election.

Most times when a legislator dies in office the governor chooses a replacement for ma list submitted by the central committee of the district the deceased lawmaker represented. Gov. Butch Otter has not yet received the list. Funeral services are pending.