by Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune
August 2, 2026
Former Fort Worth U.S. Rep. Kay Granger has died, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a Sunday social media post. She was 83.
Granger was the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in Washington, D.C. She took the seat in 1997 and went on to serve Texas’ 12th Congressional District for nearly three decades. Granger was the most senior Republican member of the state’s delegation by the end of her tenure. During this time, she also rose through the ranks to lead the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
Granger announced in late 2023 that she would not seek reelection and stepped down from her role as appropriations committee chair in early 2024. She then missed several months of votes, before disclosing that she was facing health challenges. “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,” Johnson said in his post on X. “She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed.”
Prior to her barrier-breaking tenure in Congress, Granger also left her mark locally. She served as the first female mayor of Fort Worth between 1991 and 1995. In a Facebook post honoring Granger, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker described her as a “trailblazer and tenacious leader” as well as “a mentor and friend.” “What a lady, and the end of an era in political service,” Parker said.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
