Former Texas Rep Kay Granger Dies at 83 on Aug 2

Former U.S. Representative Kay Granger, a trailblazing Republican from Texas who served nearly three decades in Congress, died on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the age of 83. Her death was confirmed by her son, J.D. Granger, and announced by House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Granger represented Texas’s 12th Congressional District, becoming the first Republican woman from the state elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. First elected in 1996, she served 28 years before announcing her retirement in November 2023 and did not seek reelection in 2024. In a statement on social media, Speaker Johnson said Granger "broke barriers for women in public service" and was "a dear friend who will be greatly missed."

Her career in public service began long before her time in Washington. After working as a high school English and journalism teacher and later building a successful insurance business, Granger entered politics in Fort Worth. She served on the city’s zoning commission and city council before being elected as Fort Worth’s first female mayor, serving from 1991 to 1995. As mayor, she was credited with initiatives that reduced crime and attracted major businesses to the city.