Greg Abbott called Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia “a man of God, a patriot and an unwavering defender of the written Constitution and the Rule of Law” in a statement issued Saturday afternoon that said the 79-year-old justice has died. “His fierce loyalty to the Constitution set an unmatched example, not just for judges and lawyers, but for all Americans,” Abbott’s statement continued. — Pete Sessions (@PeteSessions) February 13, 2016 
 
 “I pray that future generations of American patriots will continue to champion the Constitution like Justice Scalia did, and I pray for his family during this difficult time,” Sessions said in a statement. Major presence on high court 
 
 Appointed to the court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, Scalia was a conservative icon who transformed the court by instilling in it his belief that judges should follow the precise words of the Constitution and not apply a modern interpretation. Presidio County Judge Cinderela Guevara pronounced Scalia dead over the phone Saturday afternoon, according to the Washington Post . After Kagan was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama, she and Scalia became friends and hunting buddies - despite their distinct ideological differences and the fact that Kagan had never shot a gun. Our heart breaks today for our country, but especially for his wife Maureen and his nine children and extended family. In a 2008 interview with "60 Minutes," he told correspondent Lesley Stahl that he believes the Constitution is an "enduring" document he wants to defend. pic.twitter.com/MAypwTGQR2 — John Kasich (@JohnKasich) February 13, 2016 
 
 Statement on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia: pic.twitter.com/xazj9dDd5c — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 14, 2016 
 
 My statement on the sad loss of a great man, Justice Scalia: https://t.co/H3GGBgk6LH — Dr. Ben Carson (@RealBenCarson) February 14, 2016 
 
 At Mass, Columba & I prayed for Justice Scalia, who was devout in 
 
 faith and has been brought home to God in heaven. "His passing is a great loss to the court and the country he so loyally served. Justice Antonin Scalia, the longest-serving member of the current Supreme Court and an intellectual leader of the conservative legal movement, died Saturday, and his death set off an immediate political battle about the future of the court and its national role. RELATED: Inside the West Texas ranch where Antonin Scalia was found dead 
 
 Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, of the Western Judicial District of Texas, was notified about the death from the U.S.
– Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead Saturday at a resort outside of Marfa, Texas, KVIA reports. According to the San Antonio Express- News, the 79-year-old appears to have died from natural causes. Scalia was the longest-serving justice currently on the Supreme Court, having been nominated by Ronald Reagan in 1986. In a statement, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called Scalia “a man of God, a patriot, and an unwavering defender of the written Constitution and the Rule of Law." “We mourn his passing, and we pray that his successor on the Supreme Court will take his place as a champion for the written Constitution and the Rule of Law," CBS DFW quotes Abbott's statement as saying. Scalia spent Friday hunting quail at the Cibolo Creek Ranch and told friends before going to bed that he wasn't feeling well, reports CNN. His body was found in his room after he didn't show up for breakfast Saturday. In a statement, Chief Justice John Roberts called Scalia an "extraordinary individual" who was "admired and treasured by his colleagues." The Chicago Tribune notes that the conservative judge's "sharply worded dissents and caustic attacks on liberal notions were quoted widely, and they had an influence on a generation of young conservatives," the paper states. Scalia's death gives President Obama the chance to get his third nominee onto the Supreme Court, CBS News reports, though that might be tough in an election year.