U.S. Rep. Ron Wright of Texas dies after being hospitalized for Covid-19

WASHINGTON — Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, died Sunday after being hospitalized for Covid-19, his office said Monday.

Wright had also been battling cancer.

“Congressman Ron Wright passed away peacefully at the age of 67,” his office said in a statement Monday. It added, “For the previous two weeks, Ron and [his wife] Susan had been admitted to Baylor Hospital in Dallas after contracting Covid-19.”

Wright, who was re-elected to a second term in November, passed away a little more than two weeks after he tested positive for coronavirus, on Jan. 21. At the time, he said in a statement that he had been “experiencing minor symptoms, but overall, I feel okay and will continue working for the people of the 6th District from home this week.”

The last time Wright cast a vote on the House floor was Jan. 13, according to the House clerk.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement Monday that Wright “emulated the very best of America, and we were fortunate to have had the opportunity to call him a colleague and a friend.”

“Our hearts are heavy with the news of Ron’s passing. Judy and I send our heartfelt prayers to Susan and their children during this very difficult time,” he said.

Last September, Wright was hospitalized due to complications from cancer treatment, according to the Texas Tribune.

“As friends, family, and many of his constituents will know, Ron maintained his quick wit and optimism until the very end. Despite years of painful, sometimes debilitating treatment for cancer, Ron never lacked the desire to get up and go to work, to motivate those around him, or to offer fatherly advice,” his office said Monday.

Wright represented Texas’ 6th Congressional District. He was a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee.

Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, R-La., died from Covid-19 in late December, just a few days before the start of the new Congress. A number of lawmakers have also tested positive for Covid-19 over the last year, but have recovered.