GOP Rep Allegedly Found In Dementia Facility
Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) had been out of the public eye for several months, sparking questions about her whereabouts.
On Friday, Carlos Turcios, a staff writer for The Dallas Express, reported that the newspaper had allegedly uncovered the Republican lawmaker’s location.
Turcios stated, “Ms. Granger’s last vote, according to her roll call vote page, was on July 24, 2024.” When the newspaper attempted to reach her offices in Texas and Washington, D.C., “calls were sent directly to voicemail, where a recorded message from Congresswoman Granger played.”
It seems her office has shut down for good, as she is retiring at the end of the session, with no response to phone calls or voicemails.
A reporter from The Dallas Express shared that one of Granger’s constituents mentioned she had been staying at a nearby memory care and assisted living facility for a while, after being found wandering lost and confused in her old neighborhood near the Cultural District/West 7th area.
Soon after, the Dallas Express team went to the facility to verify if Granger was living there and to ask how she intended to vote on the spending bill. When they arrived, two staff members confirmed that Granger was indeed residing at the facility, according to Turcios’ report.
A slew of journalists and political experts weighed in.
Referring to a WCBM News-Talk Radio headline, CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere wrote via X: “Says a lot about a lot of things that this headline exists: ‘Missing’ GOP Congresswoman Not Seen For Six Months Finally Found Living at Dementia Care Home”
Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan spoke out, calling the American gerontocracy on both sides of the political spectrum “an absolute embarrassment.”
Eric Michael Garcia, an independent D.C. bureau chief, pointed out that figures like Kay Granger, David Scott, Thad Cochran, and Dianne Feinstein expose a major issue in Congress: the reward system based on seniority. This system encourages politicians to hold onto power well past their prime.
Congressional reporter Jamie Dupree shared that Rep. Kay Granger, R-TX, chose not to run for reelection in 2024 and stepped down as the chair of the House Appropriations Committee in April. The last time Granger cast a vote was in July, but her office has not explained her absence.
Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, expressed his disbelief, calling the situation “astounding—and an outrageous example of a lack of transparency.”
NPR journalist Brian Mann highlighted the concerning case of 81-year-old Rep. Kay Granger, reportedly residing in a dementia facility while missing votes.
He argued that it underscores the urgent need for better reporting on the aging of America’s political leaders. In fact, lawmakers over the age of 70 now outnumber those under 40 by more than three to one.