Widow's succession was a political practice prominent in some countries in the early part of the 20th century, by which a politician who died in office was directly succeeded by their

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word ...

, either through election or direct appointment to the seat.Melville Currell
''Political Woman''
Many of the earliest women to hold political office in the modern era attained their positions through this practice. It also occurred when politicians stood down from a particular office.

Overview

In earlier years, women who held office through widow's succession rarely became prominent as politicians in their own right, but were regarded merely as placeholders whose primary role was to retain a seat and a vote for the party rather than risk a protracted fight for the nomination between elections. The practice was also sometimes seen as a way to provide the woman with financial support due to the loss of her family's primary income. The expectation was that a widow would serve only until the next election, at which time she would step down and allow her party to select a new candidate. Upon the retirement of

Effiegene Locke Wingo Effiegene Wingo (née Locke; April 13, 1883 – September 19, 1962) was a U.S. Representative from Arkansas, wife of Otis Theodore Wingo and great-great-great-granddaughter of Matthew Locke. Born in Lockesburg in Sevier County in southwester ...

from the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

in 1932, the ''

New York Sun ''The New York Sun'' is an American online newspaper published in Manhattan; from 2002 to 2008 it was a daily newspaper distributed in New York City. It debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of the earlier New York ...

'' wrote, In one unusual Canadian instance,

Martha Black Martha Louise Munger Black OBE (February 24, 1866 – October 31, 1957) was a Canadian politician. Black was the second woman elected to the House of Commons of Canada. Biography Martha was born in on February 24, 1866 in Chicago, Illinois ...

succeeded her husband George Black in the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

when he had not died, but merely stepped down temporarily for health reasons; in the next election, Martha stood down and George returned to office. Another unusual circumstance occurred in the United States when

Katherine G. Langley Katherine Emeline Langley (née Gudger; February 14, 1888 – August 15, 1948) was an American politician. Langley was a member of United States House of Representatives from Kentucky during the 70th United States Congress, Seventieth and 71st ...

was elected to her still-living husband John W. Langley's former congressional seat after he was convicted of selling alcohol during

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

. With the evolving role of women in politics, however, a number of women who first took office under widow's succession went on to build long and distinguished careers in their own right.

Margaret Chase Smith Margaret Madeline Smith (née Chase; December 14, 1897 – May 29, 1995) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she served as a U.S. representative (1940–1949) and a U.S. senator (1949–1973) from Maine. She was the firs ...

became the longest-serving woman in the history of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

and the first woman ever to have her name placed in nomination for the

Presidency of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

at a major party's convention,

Edith Nourse Rogers Edith Rogers (née Nourse; March 19, 1881 – September 10, 1960) was an American social welfare Volunteering, volunteer and politician who served in the United States Congress. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts ...

became the longest-serving woman in the history of the

, and

Mary Ellen Smith Mary Ellen Spear Smith (October 11, 1863 – May 3, 1933) was a politician in British Columbia, Canada. She was the first female Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia,British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

. In Sri Lanka

Sirimavo Bandaranaike Sirima Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike ( si, සිරිමා රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක; ta, சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே; 17 April 191 ...

, who succeeded her assassinated husband, was a long-serving Prime Minister and party leader. While widows are occasionally still appointed or elected to political positions following their husbands' deaths, the practice is not as common in the modern era, in which women have been able to take on increasingly prominent roles in politics based on their own talents and experience rather than as "placeholders". Additionally, some figures, such as

Sonia Gandhi Sonia Gandhi ('' née'' Maino; born 9 December 1946) is an Indian politician. She is the longest serving president of the Indian National Congress, a social democratic political party, which has governed India for most of its post-independ ...

in India and

Grace MacInnis Winona Grace MacInnis (née Woodsworth; July 25, 1905 – July 10, 1991) was a socialist Canadian politician. She was the first woman from British Columbia elected to the House of Commons of Canada, as well as the first wife of a former ...

in Canada, have happened to hold political office and to be the widow of an earlier officeholder, but are not true "widow's successions" as they were not their late husband's immediate successor.

Notable widow's successions

Argentina

Isabel Perón Isabel Martínez de Perón (, born María Estela Martínez Cartas, 4 February 1931), also known as Isabelita, is an Argentine politician who served as President of Argentina from 1974 to 1976. She was one of the first female republican heads ...

, first female president of Argentina

Australia

Millie Peacock Millie Gertrude Peacock, Lady Peacock ( née Holden; 3 August 1870 – 7 February 1948), was the first woman elected to the Parliament of Victoria. She was the wife of Sir Alexander Peacock, a three-time Premier of Victoria. Upon his death in 1 ...

, first woman elected to the

Parliament of Victoria The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the King, represented by the Governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly and ...

; she said when she retired: ''"Parliament is no place for a woman."''

Canada

Cora Taylor Casselman Cora Taylor Casselman (October 18, 1888 – September 6, 1964) was a Canadian federal politician. She was elected to represent the electoral district of Edmonton East in the House of Commons of Canada from 1941 to 1945. A member of the Liberal ...

Jennifer Cossitt Jennifer Cossitt (née Birchall; born 22 June 1948) was a Progressive Conservative party member of the House of Commons of Canada. She was a business executive by career. Her husband was Thomas Cossitt, member of Parliament for the Leeds� ...

* Eloise Jones *

Margaret Mary Macdonald Margaret Mary Macdonald was a Canadian politician. On May 29, 1961 she became the first woman to represent Prince Edward Island in the House of Commons of Canada. She first won representation for the electoral district of King's at the House o ...

Sarah Ramsland Sarah Katherine Ramsland, née McEwen (July 19, 1882 – April 4, 1964) was a Canadian politician, the first woman ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. She was born in Boon Lake, Minnesota, the daughter of local politician ...

Margaret Rideout Margaret Isabel Rideout (née Saunders; June 16, 1923 – May 12, 2010) was a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Westmorland in the House of Commons of Canada from 1964 to 1968. She was the first woman elected to t ...

Jean Yip Jean Lee Yip (born 1968) is a Chinese Canadian politician born in Scarborough, Ontario, who was elected to the House of Commons in a by-election on December 11, 2017. She represents the electoral district of Scarborough—Agincourt as a mem ...

Guyana

Janet Jagan Janet Rosenberg Jagan (October 20, 1920 – March 28, 2009) was a U.S.-born Guyanese politician who served as the President of Guyana, serving from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999. She was the first female President of Guyana. She previou ...

, both first female prime minister and later president of Guyana

Ireland

Includes politicians from the

Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between th ...

and

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

. *

Caitlín Brugha Caitlín Brugha (; 11 December 1879 – 1 December 1959) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Waterford constituency from 1923 to 1927. Early life Kingston was born in Birr, County Offaly to William King ...

(succeeded

Cathal Brugha Cathal Brugha (; born Charles William St John Burgess; 18 July 1874 – 7 July 1922) was an Irish republican politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1919 to 1922, Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann in January 1919, the first presiden ...

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

in 1923; he had been elected to Waterford–Tipperary East seat and then died in combat in the

Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...

) * Joan Burke (succeeded James Burke in

Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who built ...

, 1964) *

Honor Crowley Honor Mary Crowley (; 19 October 1903 – 18 October 1966) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kerry South constituency from 1945 to 1966. She was one of five daughters of the MP John Pius Boland, wh ...

(succeeded

Frederick Crowley Frederick Hugh Crowley (31 December 1890 – 5 May 1945) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1927 to 1945. He was born on 31 December 1890 in the family home at Gurteen, County Cork, son of Michael N. Cr ...

in Kerry South, 1945) *

Eileen Desmond Eileen Christine Desmond (; 29 December 1932 – 6 January 2005) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Minister for Health and Minister for Social Welfare from 1981 to 1982. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1965 to 1969, 19 ...

(succeeded

Dan Desmond Daniel Desmond (3 October 1913 – 9 December 1964) was an Irish Labour Party politician and Teachta Dála (TD) for seventeen years. Early life Desmond was born on 3 October 1913 in Crosshaven, County Cork, the second child of two sons and f ...

in Cork Mid, 1965) *

Sheila Galvin Sheila Galvin (23 February 1914 – 20 March 1983) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork Borough constituency at the February 1964 by election caused by the d ...

(succeeded John Galvin in Cork Borough, 1964) *

Eileen Lemass Eileen Lemass (; born 7 July 1932) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician, who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 1987, and also as a member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1989. Early life and education She was born in Co ...

(unsuccessfully contested her husband

Noel Lemass Noel Thomas Lemass (14 February 1929 – 13 April 1976) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance from 1969 to 1973. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin South-West from 1956 ...

' seat in Dublin South-West, 1976; later elected to the Dáil in Dublin Ballyfermot, 1977) *

Celia Lynch Celia Lynch (; 6 May 1908 – 16 June 1989) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, assistant Government Whip, and Teachta Dála (TD) for 23 years. She also served as a Dublin City Councillor for many years. Her birthplace was Duras House, Kinvar ...

(succeeded James B. Lynch in Dublin South-Central, 1954) * Bridget Redmond (succeeded William Redmond in Waterford, 1933) * Mary Reynolds (succeeded Patrick Reynolds in Leitrim–Sligo when he was murdered during the 1932 election campaign) *

Bridget Rice Bridget Mary Rice (; 7 May 1885 – 9 December 1967) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She was born on 7 May 1885 in Louisburgh, County Mayo to Walter Heneghan and Bridget McGreal. Her brother John Heneghan was a Columban priest. A postmi ...

(succeeded

Eamon Rice Eamon Rice (26 April 1873 – 7 November 1937) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. A national school teacher, he married Bridget Rice, Bridget Heneghan on 1 September 1914, and they had four children. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as ...

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), barony. The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7 ...

, 1932) * Mary Ryan (succeeded

Martin Ryan Martin Ryan may refer to: * Martin Ryan (politician) (1900–1943), Irish politician * Martin Ryan (rugby league) (1923–2003), English rugby league * Martin Francis Ryan (1874–1935), American labor union leader See also * Ryan Martin (disa ...

Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...

, 1944)

Jane Dowdall Jane Dowdall (; 29 September 1899 – 10 December 1974) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician, philanthropist, nurse and company director. Early life and family Born Jane Doggett on 29 September 1899 at 28 Smithfield, Dublin. She was the daughte ...

is a marginal example; her husband James Charles Dowdall was a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

in 1922–1936; she became involved in politics after his death in 1939, later becoming a

and

Lord Mayor of Cork The Lord Mayor of Cork ( ga, Ard-Mhéara Chathair Chorcaí) is the honorific title of the Chairperson ( ga, Cathaoirleach) of Cork City Council which is the local government body for the city of Cork (city), Cork in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. ...

Japan

Keiko Nagaoka is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Tokyo and graduate of Gakushuin University she was elected for the first time in 2005. ...

* Nobuko Okashita

Malaysia

Linda Tsen Datuk Linda Tsen Thau Lin () is a Malaysian politician. She is the former Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Batu Sapi constituency in Sandakan, Sabah, representing the United Sabah Party (PBS) in the former ruling Barisan Nasional ...

, elected in the

2010 Batu Sapi by-election The 2010 Batu Sapi by-election in the Malaysian state of Sabah was held on 4 November 2010. The nomination of candidates was done on 26 October 2010. The Batu Sapi parliamentary seat fell vacant when its Member of Parliament; Datuk Edmund Chong Ket ...

after the seat had been vacant upon the death of the incumbent,

Edmund Chong Ket Wah Datuk Ir. Edmund Chong Ket Wah (; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ''Chióng Koet-fà'') (9 April 1956 – 9 October 2010), born in Sandakan, Sabah was a Malaysian politician. He was the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Batu Sapi constituency in ...

, who was Tsen's husband *

Mastura Mohd Yazid Malay titles#State titles, Datuk Mastura binti Mohd Yazid (Jawi alphabet, Jawi مستورة بنت محمد يزيد; born 22 August 1962) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian politician who served as the Minister in the Prime Minister's Departmen ...

, elected in the 2016 Kuala Kangsar by-election after the seat had been vacant upon the death of the incumbent Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar, who was Mastura's husband * Irene Mary Chang Oi Ling succeeded her husband

Wong Ho Leng Wong Ho Leng (; 21 December 1959 – 21 June 2014) was a Malaysian politician. He was the opposition leader of the Sarawak State Assembly from May 2006 to June 2013. He was also the state chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) from 200 ...

in the Bukit Assek state constituency in Sarawak

New Zealand

Mary Grigg Mary Victoria Cracroft Grigg, Lady Polson, (née Wilson; 18 August 1897 – 22 December 1971) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. Early life She was born as Mary Victoria Cracroft Wilson at Culverden in 1897. Her parents were ...

first female MP of the National Party *

Elizabeth McCombs Elizabeth Reid McCombs (née Henderson, 19 November 1873 – 7 June 1935) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party who in 1933 became the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. New Zealand women gained the right to vote in ...

first female MP, succeeded her husband

James McCombs James (Jimmy) McCombs (9 December 1873 – 2 August 1933) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for Lyttelton. Biography Early life and career McCombs was born in Treanmore, Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland, the elder child of George McCombs, ...

in 1933 following his death, and was in turn succeeded by their son

Terry McCombs Sir Terence Henderson McCombs (5 September 1905 – 6 November 1982) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, a High Commissioner, and the first principal of Cashmere High School. Biography Early life McCombs was born in 1905 and rec ...

in 1935 *

Iriaka Rātana Iriaka Matiu Rātana (née Te Rio; 25 February 1905 – 21 December 1981) was a New Zealand politician and Rātana morehu who won the Western Maori electorate for Labour in 1949. She succeeded her husband Matiu Rātana to become the first wo ...

first female Māori MP

Philippines

In the Philippines, a candidate that has died up until midday of election day can be substituted by someone who has the same surname as him or her, almost always the spouse. * Remedios Fortich, elected on the 1947 special election, succeeded her husband Carlos Fortich Sr. in Bukidnon's at-large district. * Gloria Tabiana, elected on the 1965 special election, succeeded her husband Ramon Tabiana in Iloilo's 3rd district. * Magnolia Antonino, elected on the 1967 Senate election, succeeded her husband Gaudencio Antonino who died on the eve of the election.

United Kingdom

Margaret Wintringham Margaret Wintringham (née Longbottom; 4 August 1879 – 10 March 1955) was a British Liberal Party politician. She was the second woman, and the first British-born woman, to take her seat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Early ...

succeeded Thomas Wintringham in

Louth, Lincolnshire Louth () is a market town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.OS Explorer map 283:Louth and Mablethorpe: (1:25 000): Louth serves as an important town for a large rural area of eastern Lincolnshire. Visitor ...

, 1921 by-election *

Agnes Hardie Agnes Agnew Hardie (née Pettigrew; 6 September 1874 – 24 March 1951) was a British Labour politician. Early life Her association with the Labour movement began when she was a shop girl in Glasgow."Glasgow's First Woman M.P." ''Glasgow He ...

succeeded George Hardie in Glasgow Springburn, 1937 by-election * Beatrice Rathbone succeeded John Rathbone in

Bodmin Bodmin () is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated south-west of Bodmin Moor. The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character. It is bordere ...

, 1941 by-election *

Lena Jeger Lena May Jeger, Baroness Jeger (''née'' Chivers; 19 November 1915 – 26 February 2007) was a British Labour MP during two periods. She followed her husband as Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras South, holding the seat from 1 ...

succeeded

Santo Jeger Santo Wayburn Jeger (20 May 1898 – 24 September 1953) was a British Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1945 until his death. Born in London, Jeger was educated at University College, Cardiff and the Londo ...

in Holborn and St Pancras South, 1953 by-election *

Irene Adams Katherine Patricia Irene Adams, Baroness Adams of Craigielea (born 27 December 1947) is a Scottish Labour peer who served as the Member of Parliament for Paisley North from 1990 to 2005. Early life Adams was educated at Stanley Green High S ...

succeeded

Allen Adams Allender Steele Adams (16 February 1946 – 5 September 1990), known as Allen Adams, was a Scottish Labour politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Paisley from 1979 to 1983 and Paisley North from 1983 to 1990. Adams was bo ...

in Paisley North,

1990 by-election Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since the ...

Trish Law Patricia Law, née Bolter (born 17 March 1954) is a Welsh politician who was the Blaenau Gwent People's Voice AM for Blaenau Gwent in Wales between 2006 and 2011. Background Patricia Bolter was born in Nantyglo, Blaenau Gwent, in 1954. She ...

succeeded

Peter Law Peter John Law (1 April 1948 – 25 April 2006) was a Welsh politician. For most of his career Law sat as a Labour councillor and subsequently Labour Co-operative Assembly member (AM) for Blaenau Gwent. Latterly he sat as an independent membe ...

in Blaenau Gwent, 2006 by-election *

Gill Furniss Gillian Furniss (born 14 March 1957) is a British politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough since 2016. A member of the Labour Party, she has been Shadow Minister for Roads since 2022. Early lif ...

succeeded

Harry Harpham Robert Harry Harpham (21 February 1954 – 4 February 2016) was a British Labour Party politician and coal miner. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough from the May 2015 general election until he died n ...

Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough is a List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies, constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, UK Parliament by Gi ...

, 2016 by-election

MPs who stood down from office

Historically, women would get into politics by taking the seat of her husband.

Nancy Astor Nancy Witcher Langhorne Astor, Viscountess Astor, (19 May 1879 – 2 May 1964) was an American-born British politician who was the first woman seated as a Member of Parliament (MP), serving from 1919 to 1945. Astor's first husband was America ...

became the first ever British female

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

to take her seat after her husband Waldorf was appointed to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

. Astor was the MP for

Plymouth Sutton Plymouth, Sutton was, from 1918 until 2010, a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. History Pl ...

in Devon. At the 2019 general election, two

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

MPs stood down amidst controversy and were succeeded by their wives. *

Natalie Elphicke Natalie Cecilia Elphicke (née Ross; born 5 November 1970) is a British Conservative Party politician and finance lawyer. At the 2019 general election, she was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dover, succeeding her husband Charli ...

, wife of

Charlie Elphicke Charles Brett Anthony Elphicke (born 14 March 1971) is a British politician, former solicitor and convicted sex offender. As a member of the Conservative Party and later an independent, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Dover from 201 ...

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...

in Kent * Kate Griffiths, wife of Andrew Griffiths in Burton in Staffordshire

United States

The following is a list of the women in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who have succeeded their spouses in Congress. *

Maryon Pittman Allen Maryon Allen (née Pittman; November 30, 1925 – July 23, 2018) was an American journalist who served as United States Senator from Alabama for five months in 1978, after her husband, Senator James B. Allen, died in office. She held no public of ...

(Senate) *

Elizabeth Andrews Elizabeth Andrews OBE (1882–1960) was the first woman organiser of the Wales Labour Party, Labour Party in Wales. Andrews, née Smith, was born into a mining family at Hirwaun in the Cynon Valley, one of eleven children (two of whom died dur ...

(House) *

Jean Spencer Ashbrook Emily Jean Spencer Ashbrook (née Spencer; born September 21, 1934) is a former American politician. She is the widow of Congressman John M. Ashbrook, a Republican from Ohio. She then completed her late husband's final term of office, also as a ...

(House) *

Irene Baker Edith Irene Bailey Baker (November 17, 1901 – April 2, 1994) was an American politician and a United States Representative from Tennessee. She was the widow of Howard Baker Sr. and the stepmother of Howard Baker Jr. Biography Baker was born ...

(House) *

Lindy Boggs Marie Corinne Morrison Claiborne Boggs (March 13, 1916 – July 27, 2013) was a politician who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and later as United States Ambassador to the Holy See. She was the first woman elected to Cong ...

(House) * Veronica Boland (House) * Frances Bolton (House) *

Mary Bono Mary Bono (née Whitaker and formerly Mary Bono Mack, born October 24, 1961) is an American politician, businesswoman, and lobbyist who served Palm Springs and most of central and eastern Riverside County, California, in the U.S. House of Repres ...

(House) * Vera Buchanan (House) *

Jocelyn Burdick Jocelyn Louise Burdick (''née'' Birch; February 6, 1922 – December 26, 2019) was an American politician from North Dakota who briefly served as a Democratic United States senator during 1992. She was the first woman from the state to hold thi ...

(Senate) *

Sala Burton Sala Burton (née Galante; April 1, 1925 – February 1, 1987) was a Polish-born American politician who served as a United States Representative from California from 1983 until her death from colon cancer in Washington, D. C., in 1987. Early ...

(House) * Vera Bushfield (Senate) *

Beverly Byron Beverly Barton Butcher Byron (born July 27, 1932) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the U.S. Congresswoman representing the 6th congressional district of Maryland from January 3, 1979, to January 3, 1 ...

(House) * Katharine Byron (House) *

Lois Capps Lois Ragnhild Capps (née Grimsrud; January 10, 1938) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1998 to 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 22nd District from 1998 to 2003 ...

(House) *

Hattie Caraway Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway (February 1, 1878 – December 21, 1950) was an Americans, American politician who became the first woman elected to serve a full term as a United States Senate, United States Senator. Caraway represented Arkansas. Sh ...

(Senate) * Marguerite Church (House) * Marian Clarke (House) *

Cardiss Collins Cardiss Hortense Collins (; September 24, 1931 – February 3, 2013) was an American politician from Illinois who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1973 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the fourth Afric ...

(House) *

Jo Ann Emerson Jo Ann Emerson (née Hermann; born September 16, 1950) is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for from 1996 to 2013. The district consists of Southeast and South Central Missouri and includes the Bootheel, the Lead Belt an ...

(House) *

Willa McCord Blake Eslick Willa Eslick (née McCord Blake; September 8, 1878 – February 18, 1961) was a U.S. Representative from Tennessee, wife of Edward Everett Eslick and the first woman to represent Tennessee in the United States Congress. Biography Born in Fayet ...

(House) *

Elizabeth Farrington Mary Elizabeth Pruett Farrington (May 30, 1898 – July 21, 1984), more commonly known as Elizabeth P. Farrington, was publisher of the ''Honolulu Star-Bulletin'' and an American politician who served as delegate to the United States Congres ...

(House) * Willa Fulmer (House) *

Elizabeth Hawley Gasque Elizabeth Gasque Van Exem (February 26, 1886 – November 2, 1989), named Elizabeth Hawley Gasque during her tenure in Congress, was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district fr ...

(House) * Kathryn Granahan (House) * Florence Reville Gibbs (House) *

Muriel Humphrey Muriel Fay Humphrey Brown (née Buck; February 20, 1912September 20, 1998) was an American politician who served as the second lady of the United States from 1965 to 1969, and as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota in 1978. She was married to the 38th ...

(Senate) *

Florence Prag Kahn Florence Kahn (née Prag; November 9, 1866 – November 16, 1948) was an American teacher and politician who in 1925 became the first Jewish woman to serve in the United States Congress. She was only the fifth woman to serve in Congress, and ...

(House) *

Elizabeth Kee Maude Elizabeth Kee (née Simpkins; June 7, 1895 – February 15, 1975), known more generally as Elizabeth Kee, was a U.S. Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician. She was the first woman elected to Congress from West Virginia. S ...

(House) *

Catherine Small Long Mary Catherine Small Long (born Mary Catherine Small; February 7, 1924 – November 23, 2019) was an American politician who served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for Louisiana's 8th congressional district, whi ...

(House) *

Rose McConnell Long Rose Long (née McConnell; April 8, 1892May 27, 1970) was an American politician who served as a Senator, and the wife of Huey Long. She was the third woman to ever serve as a U.S. Senator, and the first from Louisiana. Life and work Rose McCo ...

(Senate) *

Doris Matsui Doris Okada Matsui (; born Doris Kazue Okada; September 25, 1944) is an American politician from the Democratic Party, serving since 2005 in the House of Representatives. She represents (until 2013 numbered the 5th district), covering the city ...

(House) * Clara McMillan (House) *

Maurine Neuberger Maurine Neuberger-Solomon, best known as Maurine Neuberger (née Brown; January 9, 1907February 22, 2000) was an American politician who served as a United States senator for the State of Oregon from November 1960 to January 1967. She was the fo ...

(Senate) * Mae Nolan (House) *

Catherine Dorris Norrell Catherine Dorris Norrell (March 30, 1901 – August 26, 1981) was the third woman in Arkansas history to gain a seat in the United States House of Representatives. Early life Catherine Dorris was born in Camden, Ouachita County, Arkansas to Ba ...

(House) * Pearl Peden Oldfield (House) *

Shirley Neil Pettis Shirley Neil Pettis (July 12, 1924 – December 30, 2016) was an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from California between 1975 and 1979. She was first elected to fill the seat after her husband, Jerry Pettis, died in of ...

(House) *

Louise Goff Reece Louise Goff Reece (November 6, 1898 – May 14, 1970) was an American politician and a United States representative from Tennessee. Early life Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Reece was a daughter of Guy D. Goff and granddaughter of Nathan Goff, b ...

(House) *

Corinne Boyd Riley Corinne Boyd Riley (July 4, 1893 – April 12, 1979) was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina, wife of John Jacob Riley. Born in Piedmont, South Carolina, Riley attended public school. She graduated from Converse College, Spartanburg ...

(House) *

(House) * Edna Simpson (House) *

(House, subsequently elected to Senate) *

Leonor Sullivan Leonor Kretzer Sullivan (August 21, 1902 – September 1, 1988) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. She was a Democrat and the first woman in Congress from Missouri. Biography Born Leonor Kretzer in St. Lou ...

(House) *

Lera Millard Thomas Lera Millard Thomas (August 3, 1900 – July 23, 1993) was an American politician who served as U.S. Representative in Congress representing the Eighth District of Texas from 1966 to 1967, after the death of her husband, Congressman Albert Thom ...

(House) *

(House) Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first female governor of a U.S. state, serving as Governor of Wyoming from 1925 to 1927. Her husband

William B. Ross William Bradford Ross (December 4, 1873 – October 2, 1924) was an American politician who served as the List of Governors of Wyoming, 12th governor of Wyoming as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat. Life William Bradford Ross was bor ...

was governor from 1923 until his death in October 1924, at which point secretary of state

Frank Lucas Frank Lucas (September 9, 1930 – May 30, 2019) was an American drug trafficker who operated in Harlem, New York City, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly ...

succeeded him. Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected to replace her late husband in a November 1924 special election. Florence Shoemaker Thompson, of

Daviess County, Kentucky Daviess County ( "Davis"), is a county in Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,312. Its county seat is Owensboro. The county was formed from part of Ohio County on January 14, 1815. Daviess County is included in the Owensbo ...

, was the first female

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

to carry out an execution. The hanging of

Rainey Bethea Rainey Bethea ( – August 14, 1936) was the last person publicly executed in the United States. Bethea, who confessed to the rape and killing of a 70-year-old woman named Lischia Edwards, was convicted of her rape and publicly hanged in Owensb ...

in 1936 was the last public execution in American history.

Andrea Seastrand Andrea Heidi Seastrand (née Ciszek; born August 5, 1941) is a former one-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1995 to 1997. Personal life Seastrand was born Andrea Heidi Ciszek in Chicago. She gra ...

succeeded her husband Eric Seastrand as the member of the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

for the 29th district. In January 2001,

Jean Carnahan Jean Anne Carnahan (née Carpenter; born December 20, 1933) is an American politician and writer who was the First Lady of Missouri from 1993 to 2000, and served as the state's junior United States senator from 2001 to 2002. A Democrat, she was ...

was appointed to the Senate to replace her late husband

Mel Carnahan Melvin Eugene Carnahan (February 11, 1934 – October 16, 2000) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 51st Governor of Missouri from 1993 until his death in a plane crash in 2000. A Democrat, he was elected posthumously to t ...

who was posthumously elected to the Senate in November 2000. In 2007,

Niki Tsongas Nicola Dickson "Niki" Sauvage Tsongas (; born April 26, 1946) is an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 2007 to 2019. She held the seat formerly held by her husband, the late Paul Tsongas, for the dis ...

was elected to a House seat that was held by her late husband Paul Tsongas decades earlier. In 2015, Deborah Dingell became the first wife to succeed her living husband in the House of Representatives after John David Dingell Jr. retired in 2014. Mr. Dingell succeeded his late-father, John Dingell Sr. in a special election for the same seat in 1955. As of 2021, the Dingell family has represented the southeastern Michigan area for 87 consecutive years.Dingell, John D. (4 December 2018). The dean : the best seat in the House. Bender, David, 1955–, Paffhausen, Frederick D. (First ed.). ew York, NY . OCLC 1076485042. In 2021,

Julia Letlow Julia Janelle Letlow (née Barnhill; born March 16, 1981) is an American politician and academic administrator serving as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district since 2021. Letlow is the first Republican woman to repr ...

ran for and won a House seat in Louisiana that was vacant due to the death of her husband

Luke Letlow Luke Joshua Letlow (December 6, 1979 – December 29, 2020) was an American businessman and politician from Louisiana. A Republican, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives for in 2020 but died from complications caused by ...

the year prior. Unusually, Luke Letlow passed away before actually being sworn in to office, having won an election to succeed a retiring Congressman. The same year, Texas congressman Ron Wright died in office. His wife Susan Wright ran in the special election to succeed him but came in second place to

Jake Ellzey John Kevin "Jake" Ellzey Sr. (born January 24, 1970) is an American politician and former military officer serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 6th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a me ...

References

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Widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word ...

Political terminology