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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah Sen. Ed Mayne has died after a nine-month battle with cancer.
Mayne, D-West Valley City, died Sunday at his home. He was 62.
Mayne was the assistant minority whip in the Senate, where he had served since 1995 after being a union lobbyist at the Capitol. Mayne was still the president of the Utah chapter of the AFL-CIO.
"He was a constant fighter for the disadvantaged," Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich said. "He always looked out for the working person -- union or non-union."
Dmitrich remembered Mayne as a very hard, tough lobbyist who wasn't afraid to push hard for his cause. As a lawmaker, Dmitrich said Mayne was just as determined, but always had the respect of his opponents.
"He was probably the most compassionate, loving person you would ever know," Dmitrich said.
Mayne was diagnosed with lung cancer in late March.
Utah Sen. Gene Davis, the Senate minority whip, said he had been to see Mayne at his home Saturday.
"In a word I'd call him a champion," said Davis, D-Salt Lake City. "We're sure going to miss him. There's a void in the state of Utah today that's going to be very, very difficult to fill."
Davis said he had spoken to Mayne's wife, Karen, on Sunday and funeral arrangements were still being made.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
