Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger Has Passed Away

Former Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) has passed away. She was 83. Granger was Texas’s first Republican woman to serve in the House and Fort Worth’s first female mayor. She was one of the most powerful voices from the Lone Star delegation (via Fort Worth Star-Telegram):

Former U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, who became one of the most powerful Texans in Congress after breaking barriers as Fort Worth’s first female mayor, has died at the age of 83. 

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker shared posts honoring Granger, a Republican who served 14 terms representing Tarrant and Parker County, on social media Sunday evening.

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Granger joined the U.S. House in 1997 representing Texas’ 12th Congressional District. She announced she wouldn’t seek reelection to Congress in November 2023. Granger was the first Republican woman to represent Texas in the U.S. House. 

She worked steadily to gain clout as one of a handful of House members who directed federal spending. From her perch on the Appropriations Committee, she gained influence over defense projects in particular, helping to protect jobs for top Fort Worth employers Lockheed Martin and others. Parker described her as “a trailblazer and tenacious leader.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson offered his condolences on her passing on social media:

Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations…

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) August 3, 2026

Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service. She was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee.

Kelly and I send our prayers to her family, loved ones, and the Fort Worth community as we remember her extraordinary life of service and lasting legacy. She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed.

According to her family, Ms. Granger was affected by dementia, which caused her to disappear from the Hill for months. It tragically ended her career in public service. The Dallas Express received a tip about her disappearance in late 2024. The publication tried to contact her D.C. and Texas offices’, but both went to voicemail. They also attempted to visit her office in person, but it was locked and no staff were present. Around December 2024, then-Rep. Granger had been missing for six months, with her last roll-call vote on July 24, 2024. She was later found in a nursing home that specializes in dementia care. Ms. Granger announced in October 2023 that she would not seek another term in the House. 

Republican Craig Goldman succeeded her. 

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