Ron Wright (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ron Wright
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 6th district
In office January 3, 2019 – February 7, 2021
Preceded by	Joe Barton
Succeeded by	Jake Ellzey
Personal details
Born	Ronald Jack Wright (1953-04-08)April 8, 1953 Jacksonville, Texas, U.S.
Died	February 7, 2021(2021-02-07) (aged 67) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Cause of death	COVID-19
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Susan Wright
Children	3
Education	University of Texas at Arlington

Ronald Jack Wright (born April 8, 1953 – died February 7, 2021) was an American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Texas's 6th congressional district. He held this position from 2019 until his death in 2021. Ron Wright was a member of the Republican Party.

Before becoming a U.S. Representative, he worked in local government. He was on the Arlington city council. He also served as the tax collector for Tarrant County.

Wright was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2018. He was reelected in 2020. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 2019. He later died from COVID-19 on February 7, 2021.

Early Life and Education

Ronald Jack Wright was born on April 8, 1953. His birthplace was Jacksonville, Texas. His parents were Peggy Darlene (Powar) and George Willis Wright.

He grew up in Azle, Texas. He graduated from Azle High School in 1971. After high school, he studied at the University of Texas at Arlington for two years. He focused on history, psychology, and political science.

Ron Wright's Career

Before entering politics, Ron Wright worked at Ceramic Cooling Tower, Inc. He also wrote opinion pieces for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper in the 1990s.

Wright served on the Arlington City Council from 2000 to 2008. He was also the Mayor Pro-Tem of Arlington from 2004 to 2008. This role is like a temporary mayor.

From 2000 to 2009, he was a district director for Congressman Joe Barton. Then, from 2009 to 2011, Wright became Barton's Chief of Staff. In 2011, Wright was appointed as the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector. He held this job until 2018. This office is responsible for collecting taxes.

In 2014, Wright's office added the phrase "In God We Trust" to its official papers. This included tax envelopes and statements.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Elections to Congress

2018 Election

In the 2018 primary election, Ron Wright came in first place. However, he did not get more than 50% of the votes. This meant he had to go into a second election, called a runoff. He ran against Jake Ellzey in the runoff. Wright won this election with 52% of the votes. In the main election, he defeated Jana Lynne Sanchez, who was a Democrat.

2020 Election

Ron Wright was reelected in 2020. He won against attorney Stephen Daniel. After his death, a special election was held in 2021 to fill his seat.

Time in Office

In December 2020, Wright was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives. He signed a legal document called an amicus brief. This document supported a lawsuit called Texas v. Pennsylvania. The lawsuit was filed at the United States Supreme Court. It questioned the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. In that election, Joe Biden won against Donald Trump.

The Supreme Court decided not to hear the case. They said that Texas did not have the legal right, or standing, to challenge another state's election results. Later, Wright voted against officially approving the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. This vote happened after the storming of the United States Capitol.

Committee Work

While in Congress, Ron Wright was part of several important committees:

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations
  • Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment
• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections

Groups He Joined

He was also a member of the Freedom Caucus.

Health and Passing

In July 2019, Ron Wright shared that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The next year, he had to go to the hospital. This was due to problems with his radiation treatment.

On January 21, 2021, Wright announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. He and his wife were hospitalized in Dallas for two weeks. Ron Wright died from the virus on February 7, 2021. He was the first sitting member of Congress to die from COVID-19.

Many lawmakers, from both political parties, spoke kindly about Wright after his death. Jana Lynne Sanchez, who ran against him in 2018, said they both wanted to fight for the people of North Texas. She noted he served with passion while battling cancer and the virus.

Personal Life

Ron and his wife Susan in 2018

Ron Wright was married to Susan Wright. They met in June 2000 at a Republican Party meeting in Houston. Susan was a committeewoman for the Texas State Republican Executive Committee.

On February 24, 2021, Susan Wright announced she would run for her husband's congressional seat. This was for the special election. Former President Donald Trump supported her. She came in first in the primary election on May 1, 2021. However, she did not get 50% of the votes. So, she went to a runoff election. She ran against Jake Ellzey, a Republican State Representative. On June 27, 2021, she lost the runoff to Ellzey. Ron Wright was a Roman Catholic.

Election Results

2018

2020

See Also

In Spanish: Ron Wright para niños

• List of United States Congress members who died in office
• Luke Letlow, U.S. Representative–elect from Louisiana who died from COVID-19