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 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 can ...

, 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 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

in 1932, the '' New York Sun'' wrote, In one unusual Canadian instance, Martha Black succeeded her husband George Black in the House of Commons of Canada 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 was elected to her still-living husband

John W. Langley John Wesley Langley (January 14, 1868 – January 17, 1932) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky, husband of Katherine Gudger Langley. Born in Floyd County, Kentucky, Langley attended the common schools and then taught school for three year ...

'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 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 ...

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 States ...

at a major party's convention,

Edith Nourse Rogers Edith Rogers (née Nourse; March 19, 1881 – September 10, 1960) was an American social welfare volunteer and politician who served in the United States Congress. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts. Until 2012 ...

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 post ...

. 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 in India and Grace MacInnis 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, first woman elected to the

Parliament of Victoria The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria that follows a Westminster System, Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the Monarchy in Australia, King, repres ...

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

Canada

* Cora Taylor Casselman * Jennifer Cossitt * Eloise Jones * Margaret Mary Macdonald * Sarah Ramsland * Margaret Rideout * Jean Yip

Guyana

* Janet Jagan, 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 (polity), state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independ ...

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 Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

. * Caitlín Brugha (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 presid ...

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 Joan Theresa Burke (; 8 February 1928 – 27 November 2016) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, farmer and nurse who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1964 to 1981. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála, TD for ...

(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 bui ...

, 1964) * Honor Crowley (succeeded Frederick Crowley in Kerry South, 1945) * Eileen Desmond (succeeded Dan Desmond in Cork Mid, 1965) * Sheila Galvin (succeeded John Galvin in

Cork Borough Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city's ...

, 1964) * Eileen Lemass (unsuccessfully contested her husband Noel Lemass' seat in Dublin South-West, 1976; later elected to the Dáil in Dublin Ballyfermot, 1977) * Celia Lynch (succeeded James B. Lynch in Dublin South-Central, 1954) *

Bridget Redmond Bridget Mary Redmond (; 30 October 1904 – 3 May 1952) was an Irish Cumann na nGaedheal and Fine Gael politician, as well as a member of Eoin O'Duffy's radical Blueshirts paramilitary. Thrust into politics by the sudden death of her husband in ...

(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 (succeeded Eamon Rice in

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Ireland. It also provides the name of its civil parish and barony. The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7,678. The town is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry and Letterken ...

, 1932) *

Mary Ryan Mary Ryan may refer to: Actresses * Mary Ryan (actress) (1885-1948), American stage and screen actress * Mary Nash (1884–1976), American vaudevillian, later stage/screen actress, whose birth name was Mary Ryan Characters * Mary Ryan (a.k.a. Bl ...

(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 Martin Francis Ryan (October 23, 1874 – January 17, 1935) was an Am ...

in Tipperary, 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 daugh ...

is a marginal example; her husband

James Charles Dowdall James Charles Dowdall (18 February 1873 – 28 June 1939) was an Irish politician and businessman. Born in Chatham, England, Dowdall was a founder member and President of the Cork Industrial Development Association and was a butter and margarine ...

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 e ...

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

and Lord Mayor of Cork.

Japan

* Keiko Nagaoka *

Nobuko Okashita is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kagawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Kagawa Prefectu ...

Malaysia

* Linda Tsen, 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 ...

after the seat had been vacant upon the death of the incumbent, Edmund Chong Ket Wah, who was Tsen's husband * Mastura Mohd Yazid, elected in the

2016 Kuala Kangsar by-election A by-election was held for the Dewan Rakyat seat of P67 Kuala Kangsar, a parliamentary seat located in the state of Perak, Malaysia on 18 June 2016 following the nomination day on 5 June 2016. The seat fell vacant after death of member of parliament ...

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

Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar bin Wan Ahmad (16 January 1960 – 5 May 2016) was a Malaysian politician, architect, and entrepreneur who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kuala Kangsar from May 2013 to his death right after th ...

, 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 first female MP, succeeded her husband James 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 re ...

in 1935 * Iriaka Rātana 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 Magnolia Antonino ( Welborn; December 14, 1915 – July 22, 2010) was a Senator of the Philippines. The daughter of George Welborn and Hipolita Rodriguez, she was married to Gaudencio Antonino, also a Senator. She was born in Balaoan, La Union. ...

, 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. Earl ...

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 succeeded George Hardie in Glasgow Springburn,

1937 by-election Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Febr ...

Beatrice Rathbone Beatrice Frederika Wright, Lady Wright, MBE, formerly Rathbone, née Clough, (17 June 1910 – 17 March 2003), was an American-born British politician. Early life Wright was born in New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States on 17 June 19 ...

succeeded

John Rathbone John Rankin Rathbone (5 February 1910 – 10 December 1940) was a British Conservative Party politician. Early life He was born in 1910 to William Rathbone, a marine architect, and Agnes Dorothea Rankin. Education For his education, Rath ...

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 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...

* Lena Jeger succeeded Santo Jeger in Holborn and St Pancras South,

1953 by-election Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugoslav ...

* Irene Adams succeeded Allen Adams in Paisley North, 1990 by-election * Trish Law succeeded Peter Law in

Blaenau Gwent Blaenau Gwent (; ) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, E ...

, 2006 by-election * Gill Furniss succeeded Harry Harpham in Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, 2016 by-election

MPs who stood down from office

Historically, women would get into politics by taking the seat of her husband. Nancy Astor 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 Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...

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 upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...

. Astor was the MP for Plymouth Sutton 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 in ...

MPs stood down amidst controversy and were succeeded by their wives. * Natalie Elphicke, wife of Charlie Elphicke in

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 Burton, Burtons, or Burton's may refer to: Companies * Burton (retailer), a clothing retailer ** Burton's, Abergavenny, a shop built for the company in 1937 **The Montague Burton Building, Dublin a shop built for the company between 1929 and ...

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 ...

(Senate) * Elizabeth Andrews (House) * Jean Spencer Ashbrook (House) * Irene Baker (House) * Lindy Boggs (House) * Veronica Boland (House) *

Frances Bolton Frances Payne Bolton (née Bingham; March 29, 1885 – March 9, 1977) was a Republican politician from Ohio. She served in the United States House of Representatives. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Ohio. In the late 1930s Bolton ...

(House) * Mary Bono (House) *

Vera Buchanan Vera Daerr Buchanan (July 20, 1902 – November 26, 1955) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1951 to 1955. She was the first female member of the U.S. Congress to ever die while holding office ...

(House) * Jocelyn Burdick (Senate) * Sala Burton (House) * Vera Bushfield (Senate) * Beverly Byron (House) *

Katharine Byron Katharine Byron (née Edgar; October 25, 1903 – December 28, 1976), a Democrat, was a U.S. Congresswoman who represented the 6th congressional district of Maryland from May 27, 1941, to January 3, 1943. She was the first woman elected to Congr ...

(House) * Lois Capps (House) *

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

(Senate) * Marguerite Church (House) * Marian Clarke (House) * Cardiss Collins (House) * Jo Ann Emerson (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 Fa ...

(House) * Elizabeth Farrington (House) * Willa Fulmer (House) * Elizabeth Hawley Gasque (House) * Kathryn Granahan (House) *

Florence Reville Gibbs Florence Gibbs (née Reville; April 4, 1890 – August 19, 1964) was a Democratic congresswoman. Elected in special election to replace her deceased husband, she became the first woman to represent Georgia in the United States House of Repres ...

(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 38t ...

(Senate) * Florence Prag Kahn (House) * Elizabeth Kee (House) * Catherine Small Long (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 Mc ...

(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 (Senate) *

Mae Nolan Mae Ella Nolan (September 20, 1886 – July 9, 1973) was an American politician who became the fourth woman to serve in the United States Congress, the first woman elected to Congress from California, the first woman to chair a Congressional ...

(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 B ...

(House) *

Pearl Peden Oldfield Fannie Pearl Oldfield (née Peden; December 2, 1876 – April 12, 1962) was an American Democratic politician and the United States representative from Arkansas's 2nd congressional district from 1929 to 1931. She was the first woman elected to Co ...

(House) * Shirley Neil Pettis (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, ...

(House) * Corinne Boyd Riley (House) *

(House) * Edna Simpson (House) * Margaret Chase Smith (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. L ...

(House) * Lera Millard Thomas (House) * Effiegene Locke Wingo (House)

Nellie Tayloe Ross Nellie Davis Tayloe Ross (November 29, 1876 – December 19, 1977) was an American educator and politician who served as the 14th governor of Wyoming from 1925 to 1927, and as the 28th and first female director of the United States Mint from 19 ...

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 12th governor of Wyoming as a Democrat. Life William Bradford Ross was born in Dover, Tennessee on December 4, 1873 to Ambrose B. Ross an ...

was governor from 1923 until his death in October 1924, at which point secretary of state Frank Lucas succeeded him. Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected to replace her late husband in a November 1924 special election.

Florence Shoemaker Thompson Florence Katherine Shoemaker Thompson Riney (October 30, 1892 – April 13, 1961) was the first female sheriff in the United States of America to carry out an execution. Rainey Bethea, the last man to be publicly executed in the U.S., was convi ...

, of Daviess County, Kentucky, 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 in 1936 was the last public execution in American history. Andrea Seastrand succeeded her husband

Eric Seastrand Eric Seastrand (February 7, 1938 – June 20, 1990) was an American businessman and politician. Born in Fresno, California, Seastrand served in the United States Army and the United States Air Force. Seastrand graduated from San Jose State U ...

as the member of the California State Assembly for the 29th district. In January 2001, Jean Carnahan 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 di ...

was elected to a House seat that was held by her late husband

Paul Tsongas Paul Efthemios Tsongas (; February 14, 1941 – January 18, 1997) was an American politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1979 until 1985 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 until 197 ...

decades earlier. In 2015,

Deborah Dingell Deborah Ann Dingell (; ; November 23, 1953) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who has been the U.S. representative for Michigan's 12th congressional district since 2015. She is the widow of John Dingell, her predeces ...

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. John David Dingell Sr. (February 2, 1894 – September 19, 1955) was an American politician who represented Michigan's 15th congressional district from 1933 to 1955. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He was the father of the longest-serv ...

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

References

{{Reflist

Widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has 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 can ...

Political terminology

Overview

Notable widow's successions

Argentina

Australia

Canada

Guyana

Ireland

Japan

Malaysia

New Zealand

Philippines

United Kingdom

MPs who stood down from office

United States

See also

References