Kay Granger, an 81-year-old U.S. lawmaker who had been missing for over six months, has been located in a memory care facility, according to a report by the Dallas Express.
Ms. Granger, who has served as the U.S. Representative for Texas’s 12th Congressional District since 1997, was nearing the conclusion of her nearly 30-year career in the House. She has been absent from her office for six months and has not participated in any votes in the House of Representatives since July.
According to the report, a tip from one of Ms. Granger’s constituents revealed that she had been found wandering, lost and confused, in her former Cultural District/West 7th neighborhood. She was subsequently moved to a local memory care and assisted living facility.
Journalists from the Dallas Express visited the facility to confirm the claim. Staff members verified that Ms. Granger was residing there but did not permit interviews regarding her views on legislative matters, including her potential stance on the recent government spending bill.
Backlash Over Absence
Ms. Granger’s prolonged absence has drawn criticism from local officials and party members. With a month remaining in her term, significant votes are taking place in Washington, including the passage of a short-term government funding bill to avert a government shutdown.
Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French expressed concern, calling her absence “troubling” and pointing to the impact on her district. Rolando Garcia, another Republican committeeman in her district, described the situation as “a sad and humiliating way to end her political career.”
A Distinguished Career
Ms. Granger, a Republican, was the first female mayor of Fort Worth and has represented Texas’s 12th Congressional District since 1997. She served as Chair of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations until 2024, playing a pivotal role in federal budget oversight.
Her current condition and absence from office mark an unfortunate and unexpected conclusion to her decades-long political career.
