Texas Republican Ron Wright first in US Congress to die from Covid-19
Wright, who was also battling cancer, died after being admitted to hospital for Covid-19
08 February 2021 - 19:39
byDavid Morgan
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Late congressman Ron Wright in Washington, the US, November 30 2018. Picture: REUTERS/JOSHUA ROBERTS
Washington — US Republican Ron Wright died after testing positive for Covid-19 in January, his office said on Monday, making him the first member of the US Congress to die from the pandemic disease that has claimed nearly 464,000 American lives.
Wright, a 67-year-old Texas Republican, had also been battling cancer. He was elected to Congress in 2018 and had seats on the House foreign affairs, education and labour committees.
Dozens of legislators from the US Senate and House of Representatives have contracted Covid-19 or been exposed to the deadly virus over the past year.
Wright is the only sitting member of Congress to succumb to the disease. Luke Letlow, a Republican from Louisiana who won election to Congress in November, died of Covid-19 late in 2020 before he could be sworn into office.
“Congressman Wright will be remembered as a constitutional conservative. He was a statesman, not an ideologue,” his office said in a statement.
“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,” the statement said.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Texas Republican Ron Wright first in US Congress to die from Covid-19
Wright, who was also battling cancer, died after being admitted to hospital for Covid-19
Washington — US Republican Ron Wright died after testing positive for Covid-19 in January, his office said on Monday, making him the first member of the US Congress to die from the pandemic disease that has claimed nearly 464,000 American lives.
Wright, a 67-year-old Texas Republican, had also been battling cancer. He was elected to Congress in 2018 and had seats on the House foreign affairs, education and labour committees.
Dozens of legislators from the US Senate and House of Representatives have contracted Covid-19 or been exposed to the deadly virus over the past year.
Wright is the only sitting member of Congress to succumb to the disease. Luke Letlow, a Republican from Louisiana who won election to Congress in November, died of Covid-19 late in 2020 before he could be sworn into office.
“Congressman Wright will be remembered as a constitutional conservative. He was a statesman, not an ideologue,” his office said in a statement.
“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,” the statement said.
Reuters
Logistical problems stymie US Covid-19 testing trial in schools
More Americans want vaccine now compared to a month ago
Mexican president López Obrador tests positive for Covid-19
SA coronavirus variant detected for the first time in US
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Prior pneumonia case seems to suggest higher risk of death from Covid-19
Captain Sir Tom is mourned from the UK to the US and Russia
Lessons from Israel’s Covid-19 vaccination programme
Neurodiverse team delivers goods for EY with Covid-19 tracker
Sputnik V vaccine a PR coup for Vladimir Putin
Japan’s plan to manage Covid-19 spread leaves Olympic Games in doubt
Combining vaccines is being researched in the UK
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.