Former Rep. Kay Granger, the pioneering Texas Republican who broke historic barriers in local and national politics and became the first Republican woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died at age 83.
Her son, J.D. Granger, confirmed her death. A cause of death was not immediately announced. Granger had previously acknowledged experiencing unexpected health challenges during the final months of her congressional career, while her family later disclosed that dementia-related issues contributed to her prolonged absence from Washington in 2024.
Granger’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from Republican leaders, Texas officials and former colleagues, who remembered her as a determined public servant whose career stretched across nearly five decades.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Granger as a close friend and highlighted the breadth of her service to Fort Worth and the nation. Before entering Congress, she worked as a teacher and businesswoman, served on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, and ultimately made history as the city’s first woman mayor.
“Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service,” Johnson said in his tribute, pointing to Granger’s historic achievements at both the local and federal levels.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, similarly praised Granger’s dedication to North Texas, the U.S. military and national defense. Her successor in Texas’ 12th Congressional District, Rep. Craig Goldman, described her as a legend whose impact on Fort Worth and the surrounding region would endure long after her departure from public office.
Granger was born Norvell Kay Granger on Jan. 18, 1943, in Greenville, Texas, and was raised in Fort Worth. She graduated from Eastern Hills High School before earning a degree from Texas Wesleyan University in 1965.
Her path to politics was not conventional. She began her professional career as a high school teacher before entering the insurance business. Following her divorce, Granger became a single mother raising three children while simultaneously building her professional career and becoming increasingly involved in civic affairs.
Her political career began on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission, where she served during the 1980s. She later joined the Fort Worth City Council and, in 1991, achieved another historic milestone when voters elected her as the first woman to serve as mayor of Fort Worth.
As mayor, Granger emphasized economic development, public safety and efforts to strengthen the city’s long-term growth. Her work in local government established the political foundation that eventually carried her to Washington.
In 1996, Granger won election to the U.S. House of Representatives, beginning what would become a nearly three-decade congressional career. She represented Texas’ 12th Congressional District from 1997 until her retirement in January 2025.
During her time in Congress, Granger became particularly influential on budget, defense and national-security matters. She served for roughly 25 years on the House Appropriations Committee, one of Congress’ most consequential panels, before making history again in 2023 as its first Republican woman chair.
Her rise to the committee’s leadership reflected years of experience working on federal spending and national-security priorities.
Granger was also a major advocate for the defense industry in North Texas. As the first woman to chair the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, she became an important congressional supporter of the F-35 Lightning II fighter program, which was produced by Lockheed Martin at facilities in the Fort Worth area.
For Granger, the program represented more than a major defense contract. It was closely tied to jobs, manufacturing and the economic strength of the region she represented.
She announced in 2023 that she would not seek another term in Congress, choosing to complete her final term before retiring after 14 terms in the House. Her departure brought an end to one of the longest congressional careers in Texas history.
Granger’s political legacy extends beyond the legislation she supported. She demonstrated that women could break through barriers in traditionally male-dominated political institutions while maintaining a reputation for constituent service, fiscal oversight and national-security advocacy.
From Fort Worth City Hall to the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee, her career followed a remarkable trajectory: teacher, businesswoman, civic leader, mayor, congresswoman and congressional committee chair.
For Texas Republicans, her death represents the loss of one of the party’s most consequential figures. For Fort Worth, it marks the passing of a former mayor who helped shape the city’s modern political identity.
And for generations of women entering public service, Kay Granger leaves behind a record defined by barriers broken and institutions changed.
Her tenure in Washington may have ended in 2025, but the impact of her nearly three decades in Congress—and her decades of service before that—will continue to be felt across Fort Worth, Texas and the national political landscape.
