Only two women have served as governor of Texas: Miriam "Ma" Ferguson in the 1920s and 1930s, and Ann Richards, who lost her bid for reelection in the mid-1990s. The story says Democrat Gina Hinojosa would become the third if she defeats incumbent Republican Greg Abbott next Tuesday.
Margaret Justus, who served as deputy press secretary to Richards and now runs a public relations firm in Austin, said being a woman was a major advantage in Richards's 1990 campaign. She said it drew attention, and that Richards's wit and broad coalition of supporters helped. Justus also said some Republican women did not say in polls that they would vote for Richards, but many did cross over.
Justus said there is a question about how much of Richards's success came from her issues and how much from the way she presented herself to voters. She drew a similar comparison to Hinojosa's coalition of rural and city voters, and of men and women.