Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed Granger’s death in a Sunday evening X post, praising her for relentless devotion to the Fort Worth and Texas communities.
By Elissa Jorgensen, Joseph Morton, Jamie Landers, Staff Writers, Washington Bureau
Former U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, an influential North Texas Republican who served as Fort Worth’s first female mayor before a nearly three-decade career in Congress, has died at age 83.
House Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed Granger’s death in a Sunday evening X post, praising her for relentless devotion to the Fort Worth and Texas communities.
In addition to being the mayor of Fort Worth for four years starting in 1991, Granger would move on in 1997 to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the first Republican woman from Texas to be elected to the House.
Granger was also the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, a position she held from January 2023 until April 2024.
“Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service,” Johnson wrote.
Delving into Granger’s career
As a longtime member of the Appropriations Committee, Granger used her position to advocate for robust spending on national security and the military. That advocacy often benefited the array of defense contractors operating in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
She went to bat for home-grown weapons systems such as the F-35 fighter jet produced at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility, defending the high-tech war plane against critics who questioned its price tag and reliability.
She secured funding for many significant initiatives in North Texas, including the $1.1 billion Trinity River Vision/Central City flood control project.
She faced criticism from hard-right conservatives who objected to her old-school approach of bringing federal dollars back to the district. They said her support for spending bills contributed to the national debt.
While securing the Appropriations gavel was the culmination of her longstanding work on the committee, she surprised many by announcing in March 2024 she was leaving the position early.
Granger previously had opted not to seek reelection and instead retire at the end of that session.
She said she was stepping aside as chair to give her successor a head start on the next round of annual spending bills. She was increasingly absent as the year progressed, missing many votes when Congress returned from its summer recess.
Son speaks to Granger’s health issues
Granger’s health issues became public in 2024 after questions emerged about her prolonged absence from the House floor, having gone several months without casting a vote.
Her son Brandon Granger told The Dallas Morning News the congresswoman had been experiencing “dementia issues” that were progressing quickly. He refuted reports that his mother was in a memory care facility, explaining she moved to an independent living facility in Fort Worth to be in a more active community of other older people.
In a statement from her office, Granger expressed gratitude for the public’s concern and confirmed health challenges made frequent travel to Washington “both difficult and unpredictable.”
Condolences mount from state, federal officials
State and federal officials, as well as those who formerly worked with and intimately knew Granger, flocked to social media Sunday night to honor her.
In a statement, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker called Granger a trailblazer and tenacious leader whom she considered a mentor and friend.
“To Kay’s family, my prayers are with you,” Parker wrote. “What a lady, and the end of an era in political service.”
Her former chief of staff, Cole Rojewski, said on social media that Granger will be remembered as “a genuine legend.”
“She broke every barrier put in front of her and never made a show of it — she just went to work,” Rojewski wrote. “Serving as her chief of staff was the honor of my career. She accomplished more in one life than most of us would in three.”
On social media, Rep. Roger Williams said he was proud to call Granger a friend.
“Kay was a patriot who understood the true meaning of public service,” Williams wrote. “Her word was her bond, and she led with strength, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the people she served.”
Sen. Ted Cruz in an X post said Granger “lived a life of historic firsts” and offered prayers to all who loved her.
Breaking News Reporter
Elissa Jorgensen is a breaking news reporter at The Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of Texas State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in mass communication. Elissa previously reported for the Houston Chronicle and Texas Community Health News. She has also written for the Austin American-Statesman and Public Health Watch.
Washington Bureau
Joseph Morton covers the intersection of business and politics in the Washington Bureau. Before joining The News, Joseph worked for CQ Roll Call and the Omaha World-Herald. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
Senior Breaking News Reporter
Jamie Landers is the senior breaking news reporter at The Dallas Morning News, where she covers crime, courts and capital punishment. She is a graduate of The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix, where she studied journalism and political science. Jamie previously reported for The Arizona Republic and Arizona PBS.
