Kay Granger, a pioneering Texas Republican who served nearly three decades in the US House of Representatives, died on Sunday at the age of 83. Her son, JD Granger, confirmed that the cause was Alzheimer's disease.
Breaking barriers in Texas politics
Granger, born Norvell Kay Granger in January 1943, was a high school teacher and businesswoman before entering politics. She served as mayor of Fort Worth from 1991 to 1995, becoming the first woman to hold that office. In 1996, she was elected to Congress from Texas's 12th district, making her the first Republican woman to represent the state in the House.
Her career in Washington included serving as the ranking member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and later as its chair from 2022 to April 2024. She won 14 successive elections, capturing 92% of the vote in 2002.
Health struggles and absence from Congress
In 2024, questions arose about her prolonged absence from Washington. The New York Times reported that Granger was battling dementia and living in a care home, a situation her office did not disclose for months. After casting her final vote in July 2024, she largely vanished from public view.
Carlos Turcios, a reporter with the Dallas Express, began investigating after calls to her offices went to voicemail and found few signs of physical presence at her constituency office. A tip from a local resident led him to discover she had moved into an assisted living center specializing in memory care. In December 2024, her office released a statement acknowledging "unforeseen health challenges that have progressed since September and made travel to DC difficult."
Tributes from colleagues
Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, paid tribute on X, calling Granger "a dear friend" and highlighting her "extraordinary life of service and lasting legacy." He noted she "broke barriers for women in public service," citing her roles as first female mayor of Fort Worth, first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the House, and first Republican woman to chair the Appropriations Committee.
Legacy of advocacy and economic revival
Granger often spoke about how her divorce shaped her advocacy for working mothers. In a 2008 interview with The Hill, she recalled: "I was a high school teacher with three children, a two-year-old and six-month-old twins, and my husband left. It's the reason I talk so much to working mothers. You just fight your way through the day."
As Fort Worth mayor, she introduced citizen patrol initiatives that halved the city's crime rate and secured private-sector partnerships that attracted major businesses, reviving the local economy and drawing national attention.
Political evolution
Initially a vocal critic of Donald Trump, Granger called for him to step down as the 2016 Republican candidate and described his comments about women as "disgusting." By 2020, she changed her stance, endorsing Trump for re-election and receiving his endorsement in return.
Granger did not seek re-election in 2024, citing worsening health challenges during and after her final months in Congress. Her passing marks the end of a trailblazing career that inspired many women in politics.
