Kay Granger, the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, has died at the age of 83, her son J.D. Granger announced on Sunday.
Granger served nearly three decades in Congress, representing Texas’ 12th Congressional District after winning the seat in 1997 when Democrat Pete Geren retired, defeating Hugh Parmer.
She began her political career on the Zoning Commission of Fort Worth from 1981 to 1989, before moving to the Fort Worth City Council from 1989 to 1991.
Granger then served as mayor of Fort Worth from 1991 to 1995, becoming the first woman ever elected to that office in the city’s history.
Before entering politics, Granger built her professional life as a high school teacher and businesswoman, bringing a practical, civic-minded approach to her public service career.
Upon entering Congress, she was named to an advisory board consulting then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and also received seats on the Budget, House Oversight, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees.
She later resigned those committee assignments to accept a coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee, where she would eventually make her most enduring mark on American politics.
Granger became a vocal champion of defense spending throughout her tenure, including championing the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program based in Fort Worth.
When Republicans took control of the House in 2023, Granger became chair of the Appropriations Committee, the first woman from her party to hold that position, and pushed for steeper non-defense spending cuts than Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden had agreed upon.
As her seniority grew, so did tensions between her defense-focused brand of Republicanism and a party base pulling hard to the right, with hardline conservatives frequently criticizing her as too moderate and too willing to compromise with Democrats.
Granger announced in November 2023 that she would not seek reelection, and in December 2024 stated, “As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year.”
Her family confirmed that Granger had been affected by dementia, which caused her to disappear from public view during her final months in office.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a post on X that throughout her career, Granger “broke barriers for women in public service,” adding that she “was a dear friend who will be greatly missed.”
Sen. Ted Cruz said Granger “lived a life of historic firsts,” noting that “for nearly three decades, she championed North Texas, our Armed Forces, and a strong national defense.”
House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro said she was “deeply saddened” by the loss of a lawmaker who “devoted her life to serving the people of Texas and our nation with integrity, determination, and a profound sense of duty.”
Rep. Lisa McClain, who chairs the House Republican Caucus, called Granger “a pioneer, a dedicated public servant, and a trailblazing leader who opened doors for generations of Republican women to follow.”
