Kay Granger, First Texas GOP Congresswoman, Dies at 83 After Nearly 30 Years in House
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 3
Kay Granger, First Texas GOP Congresswoman, Dies at 83 After Nearly 30 Years in House
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 3
Summary
Kay Granger, the former House Appropriations Committee chair and first Republican woman from Texas elected to Congress, died at 83, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Sunday.
Nearly 30 years in the House made Granger the dean of the Texas delegation after a career that also included serving as Fort Worth’s first female mayor.
Her final year in office drew scrutiny after she left Washington in 2024 for an independent living facility in Fort Worth, a move her office did not disclose for months.
December 2024 reports on that absence prompted her son to cite dementia issues, while Granger said worsening health challenges had made travel to Washington difficult.
The episode fed broader concern about aging lawmakers’ health at a time when Republicans held only a razor-thin House majority.