Kennedy, conservatives had joint cause

Mr. Kennedy also seemed to home in on what was important to a fellow lawmaker. With House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, it was supporting struggling Catholic schools serving inner-city children in the District.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without Sen. Kennedy and his genuine desire to give something back to help inner-city students in the city,” Mr. Boehner said.

The senator also had a long friendship with Mr. Reagan and his wife.

“Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another,” Nancy Reagan said in a statement from Los Angeles. “In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem-cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend.”

In some ways, it was the personal touch Mr. Kennedy delivered that endeared him to Republicans.

“He really was thoughtful,” Mr. McCain said. “He would note people’s birthdays, events in the personal lives of people, and he was extremely gregarious.”