Retiring Rep. Kay Granger’s decline has been ‘very rapid,’ son says

Rep. Kay Granger, a Republican from Texas, has faced a challenging time since moving into a retirement facility, according to her son Brandon Granger. Brandon revealed that his mother made the decision to move into the retirement community on her own, but has since shown signs of dementia over the past three months.

The 81-year-old congresswoman, who decided not to seek re-election and is retiring at the end of this congressional term, has been noticeably absent from the Capitol for nearly six months. Her last recorded votes were on July 24, and she has missed over 54% of votes this year.

Reports of Granger’s absence first surfaced in an article by the Dallas Express, which quoted a constituent from her district stating that she was residing in a memory care facility in Texas. However, a source from Granger’s office denied these claims, stating that she was in the retirement facility where memory care is provided, but not in the memory care unit itself.

Brandon Granger disputed reports that his mother was in the memory care unit, calling it “a load of bulls–t.” He clarified that she was in an independent living facility within the retirement community. He also mentioned that her decline has been rapid and challenging, though he did not disclose whether she had received treatment at the memory care facility.

In a statement released on Sunday, Granger acknowledged her health challenges and expressed gratitude for the support she has received. She mentioned that her health issues have made frequent travel to Washington difficult and unpredictable since early September. Despite her absence from votes, Granger did return to the Capitol in November for the unveiling of her portrait as Appropriations Committee Chairwoman.

Granger, who has served in the House since 1997 and previously served as the first female mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, will be succeeded by Republican congressman-elect Craig Goldman in January.

The original article was sourced from the New York Post and Fox News, with additional information provided by Brandon Granger and a source from Granger’s office. The rewritten content maintains the key points and details of the original article while incorporating them into a new narrative for a WordPress platform.