Women Governors Women Who Headed State Governments

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. Heres a list of the women governors in the United States, in chronological order: Nellie Tayloe RossWyoming, Democrat, 1925 - 1927Replaced late husband, winning special electionMiriam Ma FergusonTexas, Democrat, 1925 - 1927, 1933 - 1935Surrogate for her husband, who was prohibited by law from succeeding himselfLurleen WallaceAlabama, Democrat, 1967 - 1968Surrogate for her husband, who was prohibited by law from succeeding himselfElla GrassoConnecticut, Democrat, 1975 - 1980First woman governor who did not succeed her husband; resigned for health reasonsDixy Lee RayWashington, Democrat, 1977 - 1981Defeated in the primary when she was running for a second termVesta RoyNew Hampshire, Republican, 1982 - 1983Served seven days after death of incumbentMartha Layne CollinsKentucky, Democrat, 1984 - 1987Chairperson of the 1984 Democratic National ConventionMadeleine KuninVermont, Democrat, 1985 - 1991Later Ambassador to SwitzerlandKay OrrNebraska, Republican, 1987 - 1991First Republican woman elected governor; first woman governor elected by defeating another womanRose Mof fordArizona, Democrat, 1988 - 1991Succeeded an incumbent who was impeached and then convictedJoan FinneyKansas, Democrat, 1991 - 1995First woman governor who won election against an incumbentAnn RichardsTexas, Democrat, 1991 - 1995Defeated by George W. BushBarbara RobertsOregon, Democrat, 1991 - 1995Did not seek reelection in 1994Christine Todd WhitmanNew Jersey, Republican, 1994 - 2001Resigned for appointment as commissioner, Environmental Protection AgencyJane Dee HullArizona, Republican, 1997 - 2003Succeeded incumbent who resigned; subsequently elected to a full termJeanne ShaheenNew Hampshire, Democrat, 1997 - 2003Ran unsuccessfully for US Senate in 2002, successfully in 2008Nancy HollisterOhio, Republican, 1998 - 1999Served 11 days when predecessor moved to US Senate and before an appointment was madeJane SwiftMassachusetts, Republican, 2001 - 2003Succeeded incumbent who resigned to become an ambassadorJudy MartzMontana, Republican, 2001 - 2005Member of the 1964 US Olympic Spee d Skating TeamSila Maria CalderonPuerto Rico, Popular Democratic Party, 2001 - 2005Former mayor of San JuanRuth Ann MinnerDelaware, Democrat, 2001 - 2009Served two terms as lieutenant governorLinda LingleHawaii, Republican, 2002 - 2010Former mayor of Maui CountyJennifer M. GranholmMichigan, Democrat, 2003 - 2011Former prosecutorJanet NapolitanoArizona, Democrat, 2003 - 2009First Arizona woman governor to win reelection; became Secretary of Homeland Security under President ObamaKathleen SebeliusKansas, Democrat, 2003 - 2009Daughter of an Ohio governor (male)Oline WalkerUtah, Republican, 2003 - 2005Succeeded incumbent who took federal positionKathleen BlancoLouisiana, Democrat, 2004 - 2008Was governor at the time of Hurricane KatrinaM. Jodi RellConnecticut, Republican, 2004 - 2011Succeeded incumbent who resignedChristine GregoireWashington, Democrat, 2004 - 2013Former director of the Washington Department of EcologySarah PalinAlaska, Republican, 2006 - 2009Former mayor of Wasilla; fi rst 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 goalsBeverly PerdueNorth Carolina, Democrat, 2009 - 2013Former lieutenant governor; first woman governor of North CarolinaJan BrewerArizona, 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 governorSusana MartinezNew Mexico, Republican, 2011 -First female Hispanic American governor of any of the 50 states, first woman governor of New MexicoMary FallinOklahoma, Republican, 2011 -Oklahomas first woman governorNikki HaleySouth Carolina, Republican, 2011 - 2017South Carolinas first woman governor, first female of Indian or Asian descent to serve as governor of any state; resigned after appointment as US Ambassador to the United NationsMaggie HassanNew Hampshire, Democrat, 2013 - 2017Second woman to hold the offic e, after Jeanne Shaheen (above); resigned in 2017 when she became the US Senator from her stateGina RaimondoRhode Island, Democrat, 2015 -Â  First woman governor of the state of Rhode IslandKate BrownOregon, Democrat, 2015 -Was Secretary of State of Oregon, became Governor when John Kitzhaber resigned, then won election in 2016.