Former U.S. Representative Blake Farenthold has died at the age of 63. The controversial Republican congressman passed away in a Corpus Christi hospital after suffering from heart and liver problems in recent years. What was Farenthold’s journey like in his return to conservative radio broadcasting?
A Political Career Cut Short
Former U.S. Representative Blake Farenthold, a Republican from Texas who served in Congress from 2011 to 2018, has died at the age of 63. His death occurred in a Corpus Christi hospital following complications from heart and liver problems that had plagued him in recent years.
Farenthold entered the political scene in 2010 when he defeated long-serving Democratic U.S. Representative Solomon Ortiz in a surprising upset victory. This win marked a significant shift in Texas politics as part of the broader Republican wave that swept through Congress that year.
My longtime friend Blake Farenthold passed away this morning.
He was briefly a Congressman – who got royally screwed by Paul Ryan and the DC GOP.
Far more importantly he was a good, kind, decent and sweet man. An outsider anomaly in this day and age. And CERTAINLY in DC…. pic.twitter.com/E6PYXoZqFy
— Seton Motley 🇧🇿 (@AltAltLeft) June 21, 2025
Controversy and Resignation
Farenthold’s political career began to unravel in 2017 when he faced allegations of sexual harassment from a former aide. Despite denying the allegations, he acknowledged creating an unprofessional working environment and announced he would not seek reelection.
In a video posted to his campaign’s Facebook page, Farenthold stated that remaining in Congress would have required him to spend months trying to clear his name. He ultimately decided that defending himself would impede his ability to effectively serve his constituents and chose to resign from his position in 2018.
Former U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, who left Congress amid sexual harassment allegations, has died at age 63, his former political consultant says. https://t.co/hZY3Htjhrf
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 22, 2025
Legacy Beyond Politics
Steve Ray, Farenthold’s former political consultant, acknowledged the congressman’s complicated legacy, stating, “We all make mistakes. He made some mistakes, but he did a tremendous job as congressman for this area.”
Before his political career, Farenthold was known as a “techie” with strong interests in the internet and technology issues. Following his resignation from Congress, he returned to his roots in broadcasting, hosting a conservative radio show that allowed him to maintain a public presence until his passing.
Farenthold is survived by his wife, Debbie, and two adult daughters, Morgan Baucum and Amanda Lawrence. His family has not released further details about funeral arrangements at this time.