Women Governors

The first three women governors of any American states replaced their husbands. Many later women governors have been elected in their own right or have succeeded an incumbent. Here's a list of the women governors in the United States, in chronological order:

1. Nellie Tayloe Ross
   • Wyoming, Democrat, 1925-1927
     replaced late husband, winning special election
     
   
   
2. Miriam "Ma" Ferguson
   • Texas, Democrat, 1925-1927, 1933-1935
     surrogate for her husband who was prohibited by law from succeeding himself
     
   
   
3. Lurleen Wallace
   • Alabama, Democrat, 1967-1968
     surrogate for her husband who was prohibited by law from succeeding himself
     
   
   
4. Ella Grasso
   • Connecticut, Democrat, 1975-1980
     first woman governor who did not succeed her husband; resigned for health reasons
     
   
   
5. Dixy Lee Ray
   • Washington, Democrat, 1977-1981
     defeated in the primary when she was running for a second term
     
   
   
6. Vesta Roy
   • New Hampshire, Republican, 1982-1983
     served seven days after death of incumbent
     
   
   
7. Martha Layne Collins
   • Kentucky, Democrat, 1984-1987
     chairperson of the 1984 Democratic National Convention
     
   
   
8. Madeleine Kunin
   • Vermont, Democrat, 1985-1991
     later Ambassador to Switzerland
     
   
   
9. Kay Orr
   • Nebraska, Republican, 1987-1991
     first Republican woman elected governor; first woman governor elected by defeating another woman
     
   
   
10. Rose Mofford
    • Arizona, Democrat, 1988-1991
      succeeded an incumbent who was impeached and then convicted
      
    
    
11. Joan Finney
    • Kansas, Democrat, 1991-1995
      first woman governor who won election against an incumbent
      
    
    
12. Ann Richards
    • Texas, Democrat, 1991-1995
      defeated by George W. Bush
      
    
    
13. Barbara Roberts
    • Oregon, Democrat, 1991-1995
      did not seek reelection in 1994
      
    
    
14. Christine Todd Whitman
    • New Jersey, Republican, 1994-2001
      resigned for appointment as commissioner, Environmental Protection Agency
      
    
    
15. Jane Dee Hull
    • Arizona, Republican, 1997-2003
      succeeded incumbent who resigned; subsequently elected to a full term
      
    
    
16. Jeanne Shaheen
    • New Hampshire, Democrat, 1997-2003
      ran unsuccessfully for US Senate in 2002, successfully in 2008
      
    
    
17. Nancy Hollister
    • Ohio, Republican, 1998-1999
      served 11 days when predecessor moved to US Senate and before an appointment was made
      
    
    
18. Jane Swift
    • Massachusetts, Republican, 2001-2003
      succeeded incumbent who resigned to become an ambassador
      
    
    
19. Judy Martz
    • Montana, Republican, 2001-2005
      member of the 1964 US Olympic Speed Skating Team
      
    
    
20. Sila Maria Calderon
    • Puerto Rico, Popular Democratic Party, 2001-2005
      former mayor of San Juan
      
    
    
21. Ruth Ann Minner
    • Delaware, Democrat, 2001-2009
      served two terms as lieutenant governor
      
    
    
22. Linda Lingle
    • Hawaii, Republican, 2002-2010
      former mayor of Maui County
      
    
    
23. Jennifer M. Granholm
    • Michigan, Democrat, 2003-2011
      former prosecutor
      
    
    
24. Janet Napolitano
    • Arizona, Democrat, 2003-2009
      first Arizona woman governor to win reelection; became Secretary of Homeland Security under President Obama
      
    
    
25. Kathleen Sebelius
    • Kansas, Democrat, 2003-2009
      daughter of an Ohio governor (male)
      
    
    
26. Oline Walker
    • Utah, Republican, 2003-2005
      succeeded incumbent who took federal position
      
    
    
27. Kathleen Blanco
    • Louisiana, Democrat, 2004-2008
      was governor at the time of Hurricane Katrina
      
    
    
28. M. Jodi Rell
    • Connecticut, Republican, 2004-2011
      succeeded incumbent who resigned
      
    
    
29. Christine Gregoire
    • Washington, Democrat, 2004-2013
      former director of the Washington Department of Ecology
      
    
    
30. Sarah Palin
    • Alaska, Republican, 2006-2009
      former mayor of Wasilla; first female governor of Alaska; first female governor to run for vice president as the candidate of a major party (2008); resigned in 2009 to pursue other goals
      
    
    
31. Beverly Perdue
    • North Carolina, Democrat, 2009-2013
      former lieutenant governor; first woman governor of North Carolina
      
    
    
32. Jan Brewer
    • Arizona, Republican, 2009-
      Arizona Secretary of State when she succeeded Gov. Janet Napolitano, who became Secretary of Homeland Security; third consecutive woman to serve as Arizona governor
      
    
    
33. Susana Martinez
    • New Mexico, Republican, 2011-
      First female Hispanic American governor of any of the 50 states, first woman governor of New Mexico
      
    
    
34. Mary Fallin
    • Oklahoma, Republican, 2011-
      Oklahoma's first woman governor
      
    
    
35. Nikki Haley
    • South Carolina, Republican, 2011-
      South Carolina's first woman governor, first female of Indian or Asian descent to serve as governor of any state
      
36. Maggie Hassan
    • New Hampshire, Democrat, 2013 -
      Second woman to hold the office, after Jeanne Shaheen (above)
      

Women's history biographies, by name:

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