Jay Rockefeller, former West Virginia governor, dies at 89

John D. “Jay” Rockefeller, the former West Virginia governor and five-term U.S. senator, has died at 89 at his home in Washington, D.C. His death was confirmed by a family representative and by Mary Stewart, vice president for external affairs at WETA, where his wife is president and chief executive. Reports differed on whether he died Thursday night or Friday. Rockefeller served as West Virginia’s governor from 1977 to 1985 and represented the state in the Senate for 30 years. He announced in 2013 that he would not seek another term and retired in 2015. A Democrat, he was the only member of his family’s prominent political lineage to serve in that party. His legacy included legislation that created the Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997. The program helps provide health coverage to children in low-income families whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid. Rockefeller also supported expanded care for veterans, including home health services, and backed the 2010 health care mandate commonly known as Obamacare. Rockefeller moved to West Virginia in 1964 to work in an antipoverty program, initially intending to stay briefly. He entered state politics as a...