Kay Granger, a trailblazing Texas Republican who served nearly three decades in the U.S. House of Representatives, died on Sunday, August 3, 2026, at the age of 83. She was widely remembered by her former colleagues as a barrier-breaking leader for women in politics.

Granger was the first woman elected mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, and the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the U.S. House. She also made history as the first female Republican chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Her congressional career began in 1997, and she retired in January 2025 after facing health challenges and extended absences from Washington. Prior to Congress, Granger served her community as a teacher, businesswoman, and member of the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council.

Republican lawmakers praised her legacy. "Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee," said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. "Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service."

Granger was last seen publicly leaving a House Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol Hill Club on January 30, 2024.

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