GOP lawmakers paid tribute to conservative columnist and pundit Robert Novak in statements Tuesday after learning of his death from brain cancer at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 78. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) praised Novak’s contributions to journalism and politics. “He gave us a lifetime of dedication to the work he loved, and it is hard to imagine Washington without him,— Boehner said in a statement. McConnell said, “He was a Washington institution who could turn an idea into the most discussed story around kitchen tables, Congressional offices, the White House and everywhere in between.—House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Novak’s column with his longtime colleague Rowland Evans “consistently brought the reality of Washington, from one from end to the other, to life.—Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who was often praised by Novak for his crusade against appropriations earmarks, said that while Novak was conservative, he “pulled no punches— when covering the GOP. “When he felt Republicans weren’t advancing conservative principles, he was the first to say it,— Flake said. “He kept us honest, and his death leaves a huge void in the conservative movement.—Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said: “Bob Novak was a good friend and a dependable critic. He was uniquely a part of Washington.—Novak came to Washington in 1957 as a correspondent for the Associated Press. In 1963, he and Evans began writing the syndicated column “Inside Report,— a partnership that continued for 30 years. Novak’s sometimes biting analysis of Washington’s players and the politics of governing made him a regular on political talk shows. “His columns could be harshly partisan, cuttingly personal,— ABC’s George Stephanopoulos wrote on his blog. “But I also couldn’t help but admire his tenacity, his capacity for crushing loads of work, and the passion that often exploded into outrage on TV.—Novak ignited a major controversy when his July 14, 2003, column revealed the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA officer. In 2006, he testified before a grand jury in the Justice Department investigation into who leaked the information to the press. Novak was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer after a traffic accident with a pedestrian in August 2008. In one of his final columns, published shortly after the diagnosis, Novak wrote, “Thanks to my tumor, I probably never will be able to drive again, and I have sold the Corvette, which I dearly loved. Taking away my typewriter, however, may require modification of the First Amendment.—