Rep. Ron Wright Becomes First Sitting Member of Congress to Die After Contracting COVID-19

Rep. Ron Wright (R-TX 6th District), 67, died Sunday night, becoming the first sitting member of Congress to die after contracting COVID-19. Wright, who first announced he had tested positive on Jan. 21, had also battled multiple bouts of lung cancer since 2018. A statement released after Wright's passing did not specify his cause of death. The news prompted condolences from politicians on both sides, with Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX 20th District) calling Wright “a gentleman who cared deeply about public service,” and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 23rd District) saying he “led with principle, integrity, and thoughtfulness.” Most coverage from across the spectrum followed similar narratives and mentioned that Wright was the first member of Congress to die after contracting COVID-19. Coverage in left- and center-rated outlets was more likely to include data on COVID-19 cases and more likely to say Wright died "of" COVID-19.