GOPer Wright, 67, dies after battle with virus, cancer

Texas Rep. Ron Wright, who battled lung cancer and was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, has died at the age of 67, his office announced Monday.

The anti-abortion Republican died Sunday with his wife, Susan, by his side after both were hospitalized with coronavirus symptoms at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

“Our hearts are heavy with the news of @RepRonWright’s passing,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted Monday. “He was a fighter who passionately served the people of Texas and America. May God grant Susan and his entire family solace during this very difficult time.”

Wright (inset), who was just starting his second term in the House of Representatives, tested positive for the virus about two weeks ago after coming in contact with an infected person days earlier, he said in a Jan. 21 statement. He initially experienced just “minor symptoms,” but he and his wife ended up going to the hospital for treatment.

His staff said the lawmaker had kept “a rigorous work schedule” while being treated for cancer over the past few years.

“Ron and Susan shared a deep and abiding relationship with their

Lord and [savior],” his office said in a statement. “For that reason, Ron remained stoic in the face of his health challenges and incredibly upbeat about the future of the state and the nation he loved so much.”

Wright was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018 and had gone through radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He was hospitalized again last September after developing complications from the disease — though he soon returned to work and the campaign trail.

Wright was a staunch opponent of abortion rights and once made headlines for saying women who induce their own abortions should go to jail.

“As far as I’m concerned, they committed murder,” he said in a 2019 video released by prochoice group Reproaction. Moments later, when asked if women who have abortions should be punished in general, he replied, “Absolutely.”

ACROSS

1 Novelist — Auel 5 Eliminates

9 Be stingy

14 A Muppet 15 Latin 101 word 16 Wrack and ruin 17 Excite 19 Doctorate exams Message of distress 21 Quart, plus 22 Watch over 23 Make better 25 Collar site 27 Owns

28 Larger than

large

31 Acts worried 34 Foot the bill 37 Weird 39 Account entry 40 Recluse 41 Nautical

position

42 Mil rank.

43 Final authority (hyph.) Scuzzy

Kilt pattern — -de-sac Assigned work Loser (hyph.) Pasture locale Monks’ superior In days gone by Contradict Wealthy one Swains

Kind of helmet Successor to the throne Weather, in poems Altar area Sea eagle 20 44 45 47 48 50 54 56 58 59 60 62 63 64

65

66 67

DOWN

1 “The Body” Ventura Rocker — John Plain-living sect Name, to Pierre Antiques

In a snit

Go out with Severe

Field event (2 wds.) — Abdul-Jabbar Mr. Lendl Penicillin source Desktops Forearm bones Attention-getter Open a bit Machete Poet’s tributes Photo

On the summit 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 18 24 26 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 38 40 41 43 44 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 54 55

57

59 61

Kind of phone Fiddle idly

TLC providers Help-wanted abbr. — Plaines Aberdeen kids Alice’s chronicler Type of twin Relish Courtyard Dress

Frat letter Borders Harder to find Over

— Dame Intuit Kyrgyzstan mountains Radar-screen mark

Telly network Ernesto Guevara