Familial Connections of Women Members of Congress
Women Who Directly Succeeded Their Late Husbands
As of 2021, 45 women have directly succeeded their late husbands in Congress (38 in the House and eight in the Senate). Seven widows have represented California—more than any other state—including the first two in the House, Mae Ella Nolan (1923–1925) and Florence Prag Kahn (1925–1937). In 1931, Hattie Caraway of Arkansas became the first widow to succeed her late husband in the Senate. The following charts contain lists of all widows who have served in Congress as well as other family connections pertinent to women in Congress.
| First Elected Congress | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67th (1921–1923) | Mae Ella Nolan | California | R | Representative |
| 69th (1925–1927) | Florence P. Kahn | California | R | Representative |
| 69th (1925–1927) | Edith Nourse Rogers | Massachusetts | R | Representative |
| 70th (1927–1929) | Pearl Oldfield | Arkansas | D | Representative |
| 71st (1929–1931) | Effiegene Locke Wingo | Arkansas | D | Representative |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Arkansas | D | Senator |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | Willa McCord Blake Eslick | Tennessee | D | Representative |
| 73rd (1933–1935) | Marian Williams Clarke | New York | R | Representative |
| 74th (1935–1937) | Rose McConnell Long | Louisiana | D | Senator |
| 75th (1937–1939) | Elizabeth H. Gasque | South Carolina | D | Representative |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Frances Payne Bolton | Ohio | R | Representative |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Florence Reville Gibbs | Georgia | D | Representative |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Clara G. McMillan | South Carolina | D | Representative |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Margaret Chase Smith1 | Maine | R | Representative |
| 77th (1941–1943) | Veronica Grace Boland | Pennsylvania | D | Representative |
| 77th (1941–1943) | Katharine Edgar Byron | Maryland | D | Representative |
| 78th (1943–1945) | Willa Lybrand Fulmer | South Carolina | D | Representative |
| 80th (1947–1949) | Vera Cahalan Bushfield | South Dakota | R | Senator |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | Vera Daerr Buchanan | Pennsylvania | D | Representative |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | Marguerite Stitt Church | Illinois | R | Representative |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | Maude Elizabeth Kee | West Virginia | D | Representative |
| 83rd (1953–1955) | Mary E. (Betty) Farrington2 | Hawaii | R | Representative |
| 84th (1955–1957) | Kathryn E. Granahan | Pennsylvania | D | Representative |
| 86th (1959–1961) | Maurine B. Neuberger3 | Oregon | D | Senator |
| 86th (1959–1961) | Edna O. Simpson | Illinois | R | Representative |
| 87th (1961–1963) | Catherine D. Norrell | Arkansas | D | Representative |
| 87th (1961–1963) | Louise G. Reece | Tennessee | R | Representative |
| 87th (1961–1963) | Corinne Boyd Riley | South Carolina | D | Representative |
| 88th (1963–1965) | Irene Bailey Baker | Tennessee | R | Representative |
| 89th (1965–1967) | Lera Millard Thomas | Texas | D | Representative |
| 92nd (1971–1973) | Elizabeth Bullock Andrews | Alabama | D | Representative |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | Corinne Claiborne (Lindy) Boggs | Louisiana | D | Representative |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | Cardiss Collins | Illinois | D | Representative |
| 94th (1975–1977) | Shirley N. Pettis | California | R | Representative |
| 95th (1977–1979) | Maryon Pittman Allen | Alabama | D | Senator |
| 95th (1977–1979) | Beverly Butcher Byron | Maryland | D | Representative |
| 95th (1977–1979) | Muriel Humphrey | Minnesota | D | Senator |
| 97th (1981–1983) | Jean Spencer Ashbrook | Ohio | R | Representative |
| 98th (1983–1985) | Sala Galante Burton | California | D | Representative |
| 99th (1985–1987) | Catherine S. Long | Louisiana | D | Representative |
| 102nd (1991–1993) | Jocelyn Birch Burdick | North Dakota | D | Senator |
| 104th (1995–1997) | Jo Ann Emerson | Missouri | R | Representative |
| 105th (1997–1999) | Mary Bono Mack | California | R | Representative |
| 105th (1997–1999) | Lois Capps | California | D | Representative |
| 109th (2005–2007) | Doris Matsui | California | D | Representative |
Widows Who Directly Succeeded Late Husbands Who Were Nominees or Members-Elect
| Dates of Service | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963–1971 | Charlotte T. Reid6 | Illinois | R | Representative |
| 1975–1995 | Marilyn Lloyd7 | Tennessee | D | Representative |
| 2001–2002 | Jean Carnahan4 | Missouri | D | Senator |
| 2021–present | Julia Letlow23 | Louisiana | R | Representative |
Women Who Succeeded Living Husbands in Congress
| Dates of Service | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927–1931 | Katherine Gudger Langley5 | Kentucky | R | Representative |
| 2015–present | Debbie Dingell | Michigan | D | Representative |
Widows Who Followed Their Late Husbands into Congress Without Directly Succeeding Them
| Dates of Service | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929–1931 | Ruth Hanna McCormick8 | Illinois | R | Representative |
| 1953–1977 | Leonor K. Sullivan9 | Missouri | D | Representative |
| 2007–2019 | Nicola S. (Niki) Tsongas10 | Massachusetts | D | Representative |
Wives Appointed to the Senate by Their Husbands
| Dates of Service | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Dixie Bibb Graves | Alabama | D | Senator |
| 1972 | Elaine S. Edwards | Louisiana | D | Senator |
Women Members Married to Other Members of Congress
| Dates of Service | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929–1931 | Ruth Hanna McCormick11 | Illinois | R | Representative |
| 1945–1947 | Emily Taft Douglas12 | Illinois | Representative | |
| 1975–1979 | Martha Elizabeth Keys13 | Kansas | D | Representative |
| 1978–1997 | Nancy Landon Kassebaum14 | Kansas | R | Senator |
| 1979–1995 (House) 1995–2013 (Senate) | Olympia Jean Snowe15 | Maine | R | Representative/Senator |
| 1990–1997 | Susan Molinari16 | New York | R | Representative |
| 1993–1995 | Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky17 | Pennsylvania | D | Representative |
| 2003–2009 | Elizabeth Dole18 | North Carolina | R | Senator |
| 2004–2011 | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin19 | South Dakota | D | Representative |
| 1998–2013 | Mary Bono Mack20 | California | R | Representative |
Women Who Gave Birth While Serving in Congress
| Dates of Service | Name | State | Party | Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–1979 | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke | California | D | Representative |
| 1990–1997 | Susan Molinari | New York | R | Representative |
| 1995–1997 (House) 1999–2011 (Senate) | Blanche Lambert Lincoln | Arkansas | D | Representative/Senator |
| 1995–1997 | Enid Greene Waldholtz | Utah | R | Representative |
| 2003–present | Linda T. Sánchez | California | D | Representative |
| 2004–2011 | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin | South Dakota | D | Representative |
| 2005–present | Cathy McMorris Rodgers | Washington | R | Representative |
| 2007–2009 (House) 2009–present | Kirsten Gillibrand | New York | D | Representative/Senator |
| 2013–2023 | Jaime Herrera Beutler | Washington | R | Representative |
| 2013–2017 (House) 2017–present (Senate) | Tammy Duckworth | Illinois | D | Representative/Senator |
| 2015–present | Elise Stefanik | New York | R | Representative |
| 2023–present | Anna Luna | Florida | R | Representative |
Daughters Who Directly Succeeded Their Fathers in Congress
- Rep. Winnifred S. Huck (R-IL) succeeded William E. Mason (R-IL, a Representative from 1887–1890; a Senator from 1897–1902; a Representative from 1917–1922).
- Rep. Susan Molinari (R-NY) succeeded Rep. Guy Molinari (R-NY, 1981–1990).
- Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) succeeded Rep. Edward R. Roybal (D-CA, 1963–1993).
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) succeeded Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK, 1981–2002).
Women Members of Congress Whose Fathers Preceded Them as Representatives or Senators
- Rep. Katherine Gudger Langley (R-KY) daughter of Rep. James Madison Gudger, Jr. (D-NC, 1903–1914).
- Rep. Ruth Hanna McCormick (R-IL) daughter of Sen. Marcus A. Hanna (R-OH, 1899–1904).
- Rep. Ruth Bryan Owen (D-FL) daughter of Rep. William Jennings Bryan (D-NE, 1891–1894).
- Rep. Clare Boothe Luce (R-CT), stepdaughter of Rep. Elmer Austin (R-CT, 1939–1941).
- Rep. Louise G. Reece (R-TN) daughter of Sen. Guy D. Goff (R-WV, 1925–1930).
- Rep. Elizabeth J. Patterson (D-SC) daughter of Sen. Olin D. Johnston (D-SC, 1945–1966).
- Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) daughter of Thomas D'Alesandro (D-MD, 1939–1947).
- Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) daughter of Rep. Arch Moore (R-WV, 1957–1968).
- Rep. Gwen Graham (D-FL) daughter of Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL).
- Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) daughter of Rep. Richard (Dick) Cheney
- Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) daughter of Rep. Samuel L. Devine (R-OH)
Women Members Whose Children and Grandchildren Have Served in Congress
- Sen. Rose McConnell Long (D-LA), mother of Senator Russell Long (D-LA, 1948–1987).
- Rep. Frances Payne Bolton (R-OH), mother of Rep. Oliver Bolton (R-OH, 1953–1957; 1963–1965).21
- Rep. Katharine Edgar Byron (D-MD), mother of Rep. Goodloe Byron (D-MD, 1971–1978).
- Rep. Maude Elizabeth Kee (D-WV), mother of Rep. James Kee (D-WV, 1965–1973).22
- Rep. Irene Bailey Baker (R-TN), stepmother of Senator Howard Baker (R-TN, 1967–1985).
- Rep. Carrie P. Meek (D-FL), mother of Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL, 2003–2011).
- Sen. Jean Carnahan (D-MO), mother of Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO, 2005–2013).
- Rep. Julia May Carson (D-IN), grandmother of André Carson (D-IN, 2008–present).
Women Members Whose Siblings Have Served in Congress
- Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), sister of Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA).
Footnotes
1Smith served in the House from 1940 to 1949 and then won election to the Senate, where she served from 1949 to 1973.
2Territorial delegate.
3Neuberger was not immediately appointed to succeed her husband Richard Neuberger after he died in early 1960. However, she won the general election in November 1960 to serve the remainder of her husband's unexpired term in the 86th Congress and a full six-year term commencing on January 3, 1961.
4Mel Carnahan was killed in a plane crash less than two weeks before the election for the Missouri Senate seat he was running for. His name remained on the ticket, and he posthumously defeated incumbent John Ashcroft by a narrow margin. Governor Roger Wilson appointed Jean Carnahan to her husband's vacant seat. Carnahan's re-election bid in a special election held in 2002 was unsuccessful.
5Her husband, John Wesley Langley, had won re-election to the House in 1924 for Kentucky's 10th District but was convicted of conspiring to transport and sell liquor in violation of the Volstead Act. He was placed in a federal penitentiary in Atlanta before his term expired. Katherine Langley ran successfully for his seat in 1926 and was re-elected in the 71st Congress in 1928.
6The GOP nominee for Illinois' 15th District, Frank R. Reid, Jr., died in August 1962 while campaigning for the open seat. Republican officials convinced his widow, Charlotte Reid, to replace him on the ticket.
7Just weeks after securing the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican incumbent LaMar Baker in Tennessee's 3rd District, Mort Lloyd was killed in a plane crash. Democratic leaders convinced his widow, Marilyn Lloyd, to replace him on the ticket.
8Ruth Hanna McCormick won election in 1928 to one of Illinois' two At-Large House seats. Her husband, Joseph Medill McCormick, had served one term each in the House (1917–1919) and the Senate (1919–1925). He died days before his Senate term expired in February 1925.
9John B. Sullivan died in January 1951, but Leonor Sullivan could not convince Missouri 3rd District Democrat leaders to give her the nomination for the special election. In November 1952, after redistricting merged her husband's old district with another, she defeated GOP incumbent Claude I. Bakewell, who had succeeded John Sullivan in the 82nd Congress.
10Nicola Tsongas was elected to a House seat covering a Massachusetts congressional district once represented by her late husband, Paul Tsongas. Paul Tsongas served in the House from 1975 to 1979 and, later, in the Senate from 1979 to 1985. He died in 1997.
11(See note 8 above.) Ruth Hanna McCormick married Rep. Albert Simms, who had served one term in the House with her in the 71st Congress (1929–1931), in March 1932.
12Married to Sen. Paul Douglas (D-IL, 1949–1967).
13Married Rep. Andrew Jacobs (D-IN, 1965–1973, 1975–1997) in 1975 while both were serving in the House.
14Married Sen. Howard Baker (R-TN, 1967–1985) in 1996 after he left office but while she still was in the Senate. They had served together six years.
15Married Rep. John McKernan, Jr. (R-ME, 1983–1987) in 1989, after he had left the House and was serving as governor of Maine, but while Snowe was still in the House. They had served together four years.
16Married Rep. Bill Paxon (R-NY, 1989–1999) in 1994 while both were serving in the House.
17Preceded in the House by her then husband, Rep. Ed Mezvinsky (D-IA, 1973–1977). The couple divorced in 2007.
18Preceded in the Senate by her husband, Robert J. Dole (R-KS), who served in the House from 1961 to 1969 and the Senate from 1969 to 1996.
19Stephanie Herseth married Rep. Max Sandlin (D-TX, 1997–2005) in 2007. They served together for one year in the House.
20Mary Bono married Rep. Connie Mack IV (R-FL, 2005–2013) in 2007. She won election under the name Mary Bono Mack in the 111th–112th Congresses (2009–2013).
21They were the only mother–son pair to serve simultaneously.
22James Kee was the first son to directly succeed his mother in Congress.
23Luke Letlow was elected to the House in a runoff election on December 5, 2020; however, he died due to complications from COVID-19 on December 29, 2020, before he could take his seat. Representative Julia Letlow won the special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband on March 20, 2021.