Rep. Charles Norwood, a Georgia dentist who rode to office on a Republican tidal wave in 1994, died Tuesday (Feb. 13, 2007) after battling cancer. Rep. Norwood, 65, died at his home in Augusta, Ga. House members paused for a moment of silence in his honor.

Rep. Norwood suffered from a chronic lung disease and later developed metastatic cancer that spread from his lung to his liver.

The vacancy created by Norwood’s death will be filled by a special election, to be held no fewer than 30 days after the vacancy is created, according to state law.