In an unexpected turn of events, a sorrowful pallor has blanketed the world of news broadcasting and politics. Alice Stewart, the renowned CNN political commentator and respected advisor to numerous Republican presidential campaigns, has passed away at the age of 58, reported CNN.
In the affluent Bellevue neighborhood of northern Virginia, law enforcement officials discovered Stewart’s body during the early dawn hours of Saturday. They have ruled out foul play, postulating that a medical emergency catalyzed her untimely death, according to the news network’s report.
Mark Thompson, the Chief Executive Officer of CNN, took a moment to acknowledge the profound loss. In an email circulated to the staff, he fondly remembered Stewart as “a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN.” He noted her invaluable contribution to political reporting, owing not only to her adroit political acumen but her deep-seated and unwavering kindness. The grieving CEO described their collective grief as a “heavy heart” mourning “an extraordinary loss.”
On this tragic Saturday, details concerning the precise cause of her death or information about surviving family members remain glaringly scarce.
Stewart’s life journey began in Atlanta on March 11, 1966. Her burgeoning career as a reporter started in her home state of Georgia, soon shifting gears to a news anchor role in Little Rock, Arkansas. She then navigated the tempestuous waters of politics, serving as the director of communication in the office of then-Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. Her expertise in political communication saw her assume pivotal roles in Huckabee’s 2008 presidential campaign and the 2012 presidential attempts by Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann and former Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum. Before her untimely departure, Stewart served as the communication director for Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s 2016 campaign.
A heartbroken Cruz expressed his grief through a post on the platform ‘X,’ previously known as Twitter, stating, “Alice was wonderful and talented and a dear friend. And she loved America fiercely.”
Joining CNN as a political commentator prior to the momentous 2016 election, Stewart was a consistent presence on air, sharing her curated insight on the day’s political landscape. Her most recent appearance was on “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” on the Friday just before her death.
Stewart was unapologetically conservative, yet maintained her independence keenly. During a 2020 interview with the Harvard Political Review, she made it clear, saying, “I’m not a Kool-Aid drinker; I’m not a never-Trumper, and I didn’t check my common sense and decency at the door when I voted for (Trump).”
Stewart’s sudden death has also deeply affected Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor and presidential hopeful who acknowledged her passing on ‘X,’ stating, “such a loss to all who valued her friendship as well as her political passion.”
Aside from her hard-hitting career, Stewart found solace in the pursuit of fitness. She was said to be an avid runner and her passion flowed into her social media posts, where she frequently shared updates from road races including the TCS New York City marathon, in which she ran last November, and the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile race, where she competed just last month.
