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Miriam Amanda "Ma" Ferguson (née Wallace; June 13, 1875 – June 25, 1961) was an American politician who served two non-consecutive terms as the governor of Texas: from 1925 to 1927, and from 1933 to 1935. She was the first female governor of Texas, and the second woman elected to the governorship of any U.S. state to assume office, after Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming.[1]

Key Information

Early life

[edit]
Daughters Ouida and Dorrace Ferguson

Miriam Amanda Wallace Ferguson was born in Bell County, Texas. She studied at Salado College and Baylor Female College. When she was 24, she married James Edward Ferguson, a lawyer, at her father's farm near Belton in Bell County, Texas.

Her nickname, "Ma", came from her initials, "M. A.", and the fact that her husband was known as "Pa" Ferguson.[2] They had two daughters: Ouida Wallace Ferguson and Dorrace Watt Ferguson.[3]

Early political career

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Her husband served as Governor of Texas from 1915 to 1917. During his second term, he was investigated by State Attorney General Dan Moody (who would, incidentally, succeed her as Governor in 1927 after her first term) for actions that had been taken against the University of Texas.[4] The Texas State Senate impeached him, convicted him on ten charges, and prohibited him from holding state office in Texas again.

1924 election and first term

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After her husband's impeachment and conviction, Ma Ferguson ran in the primary for the Democratic nomination for governor and was successful, openly supported by her husband, whom she said she would consult for advice. She ran for office in the 1924 general election.[5]

During her campaign, she said that voters would get "two governors for the price of one".[6] Her speeches at rallies consisted of introducing him and letting him take the platform.[7] A common campaign slogan was, "Me for Ma, and I Ain't Got a Durned Thing Against Pa."[8] Patricia Bernstein of the Houston Chronicle stated "There was never a question in anyone's mind as to who was really running things when Ma was governor."[9]

After her victory in the Democratic primary, Ferguson defeated George C. Butte, a prominent lawyer and University of Texas dean who emerged as the strongest Republican gubernatorial nominee in Texas since Reconstruction. Due to the widespread corruption of her husband's term, resulting in his impeachment, thousands of voters crossed party lines in the general election to vote for the Republican candidate. Republicans usually took between 11,000 and 30,000 votes for governor, but Butte won nearly 300,000 votes, many of them from women and suffragists.[7] It was still primarily a Democratic state, and Ferguson received 422,563 votes (58.9 percent) to Butte's 294,920 (41.1 percent). Butte had been supported in the general election by former governor William P. Hobby, who had succeeded James Ferguson in 1917 and won a full term in 1918.

In 1924, Ma Ferguson became the first elected female chief executive of Texas.[8] She was the second elected female state governor in the United States to assume office, and the first to be elected in a general election. Nellie Tayloe Ross had been sworn in as governor of Wyoming to finish the unexpired term of her late husband two weeks before Ferguson's inauguration, though Ross and Ferguson won their respective elections on the same day. Ferguson's campaign manager was Homer T. Brannon of Fort Worth, Texas.

In 1926, state attorney general Dan Moody, who had investigated her husband for embezzlement and recovered $1 million for Texas citizens, ran against her in a run-off election. He defeated her to become the next and then-youngest governor of Texas.[10] Suffragist activism provided a major contribution to her defeat, as these women rallied behind Moody and campaigned for him.[7]

1932 election and second term

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Edwina Crockett Snider, Ferguson's social secretary (as First Lady of Texas)

Ferguson ran again in 1932. She narrowly won the Democratic nomination over incumbent Ross S. Sterling, then soundly defeated Republican Orville Bullington in the general election, 521,395 (61.6 percent) to 322,589 (38.1 percent). It was a year of Democratic successes as Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as President of the United States. Bullington was a cousin of the first wife of John G. Tower, future U.S. Senator from Texas. He fared more strongly than most Texas Republican candidates did in that period, but did not match Butte's 1924 showing against Ferguson.[6]

Ferguson's second term as governor was less controversial than her first. It was rumored that state highway contracts went only to companies that advertised in the Fergusons' newspaper, the Ferguson Forum. A House committee investigated the rumors, but no charges were ever filed.[8] The Great Depression forced both the federal and state governments to cut down on personnel and funding of their organizations, and the Texas Rangers were no exception. The number of commissioned officers in the law-enforcement agency was reduced to 45, and the only means of transportation afforded to Rangers were free railroad passes, or using their personal horses. The situation worsened for the Rangers when they entangled themselves in politics in 1932 by publicly supporting Governor Ross Sterling in his re-election campaign over "Ma" Ferguson. Immediately after taking office in January 1933, she proceeded to discharge all serving Rangers. The force also saw its salaries and funds slashed by the Texas Legislature, and their numbers reduced further to 32 men. The result was that Texas became a safe hideout for the many Depression-era gangsters escaping from the law, such as Bonnie and Clyde, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Pretty Boy Floyd and Raymond Hamilton. The hasty appointment of many unqualified Rangers to stop the increasing criminality proved ineffective.

The general disorganization of law enforcement in the state convinced the members of the Legislature that a thorough revision of the public security system was in order, and with that purpose it hired the services of a consulting firm from Chicago. The resulting report yielded many worrying conclusions, but the basic underlying facts were simple: the criminality levels in Texas were extremely high, and the state's means to fight them were underfunded, undermanned, loose, disorganized and obsolete. The consultants' recommendation, besides increasing funding, was to introduce a whole reorganization of state security agencies; especially, to merge the Rangers with the Texas Highway Patrol under a new agency called the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). After deliberating, the Legislature agreed with the suggestion. The resolution that created the new state law enforcement agency was passed in 1935 under the next governor of Texas, James V. Allred, and with an initial budget of $450,000, the DPS became operational on August 10.

In October 1933, Ferguson signed into law Texas House Bill 194, which was instrumental in establishing the University of Houston as a four-year institution.[11]

Views and policies

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Bust of Ferguson by Enrico Cerracchio

"Fergusonism", as the Fergusons' brand of populism was called, remains a controversial subject in Texas. As governor, she tackled some of the tougher issues of the day. Though a teetotaler like her husband, she aligned herself with the "wets" in the battle over prohibition. She opposed the Ku Klux Klan, which was on the decline after 1925 because of a national murder and sex scandal by its president, D. C. Stephenson.

Ferguson has been described as a fiscal conservative but also pushed for a state sales tax and corporate income tax.[6] She is often credited with a quote allegedly referring to bilingualism in Texas schools: "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it ought to be good enough for the children of Texas."[12] Variations of this statement have been dated to 1881, and were often used to ridicule the claimed backwardness of various unnamed Christians. Ferguson did not originate the quote.[13]

Ferguson issued almost 4,000 pardons during her two nonconsecutive terms in office, many of them to free persons who had been convicted of violating prohibition laws.[14] In 1930, between Ferguson's terms, the Secretary of State of Texas Jane Y. McCallum published a pamphlet criticizing the former governor's numerous pardons of prisoners.[15] Though never proven, rumors persisted that pardons were available in exchange for cash payments to the governor's husband. In 1936, voters passed an amendment to the state constitution stripping the governor of the power to issue pardons and granting that power to a politically independent Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles (see Capital punishment in Texas).[14]

A number of labor laws were also passed during Ferguson's two terms as governor.[16][17]

In a 1932 speech, Ferguson's husband James E. Ferguson defended the record of "Fergusonism;" listing reforms such as child labor and workmen's compensation laws, aid for rural education, a free textbook law, and laws regulating the working hours of women.[18] Miriam Ferguson herself defended “Fergusonism;” citing liberal measures such as a semi-monthly pay day law, an eight-hour law, the establishment of an Industrial Accident Board, and the creation of Lower Colorado and Brazos River Authorities.[19]

Post-governorship

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Monument to the Governors Ferguson at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas

Except for an unsuccessful bid to replace Governor W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel in 1940, the Fergusons remained retired from political life after 1935. In the 1940 campaign, Ma Ferguson trailed O'Daniel's principal rival, Ernest O. Thompson of Amarillo, who was Texas Railroad Commissioner.[6]

Her husband, James, died of a stroke in 1944. Miriam Ferguson died from congestive heart failure in 1961 at the age of 86. She was buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

See also

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Notes

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Further reading

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Miriam A. Ferguson

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Miriam Amanda Wallace Ferguson (June 13, 1875 – June 25, 1961), known as "Ma" Ferguson, was an American Democratic politician and the first woman elected to the governorship of a U.S. state, distinguishing her from Nellie Tayloe Ross who assumed office via succession to her husband's unexpired term, serving two non-consecutive terms as the 29th and 32nd of , succeeding Pat Morris Neff from January 20, 1925, to January 18, 1927 (succeeded by Dan Moody), and succeeding Ross S. Sterling from January 17, 1933, to January 15, 1935 (succeeded by James V. Allred). Born in , to a farming family, she attended Salado College and Baylor Female College before marrying James Edward "Jim" Ferguson in 1899, who later served as from 1915 to 1917 until his and permanent bar from office amid financial misconduct allegations. Ferguson entered politics as a proxy for her disqualified husband, winning the 1924 Democratic primary runoff against Felix D. Robertson by campaigning on vindicating his reputation, reducing state spending, and enacting an anti-mask law targeting the Ku Klux Klan's activities. She defeated Republican George C. Butte in the general election, assuming office amid expectations that Jim Ferguson would exert significant influence, which critics derided as providing "two governors for the price of one." Her first term fulfilled the anti-Klan promise with legislation prohibiting masked public appearances—though later overturned—but was dominated by controversies, including the issuance of approximately 100 pardons per month, often to political allies, and scandals involving kickbacks on contracts awarded to friendly firms. These issues fueled opposition, leading to her defeat in the 1926 Democratic primary by . In 1932, amid the , Ferguson reclaimed the governorship by defeating incumbent Ross Sterling in the Democratic runoff on pledges of tax relief and expenditure cuts, then winning the general election against Orville Bullington. Her second administration emphasized fiscal restraint, reducing state costs and proposing (though failing to pass) sales and corporate income taxes, while continuing a policy of liberal pardons with somewhat diminished scrutiny. Unsuccessful in further bids in 1930 and 1940, she retired after her husband's death from a stroke in 1944 and died of congestive heart failure in Austin, Texas, U.S., at the age of 86, and was buried in the . Her terms highlighted both the breakthrough of female leadership in Southern politics and persistent critiques of and indirect governance through spousal proxy.

Early Life and Background

Childhood and Family Origins

Miriam Amanda Wallace, later known as Miriam A. Ferguson, was born on June 13, 1875, in , near Salado. She was the daughter of Joseph L. Wallace and Eliza Elmira Garrison Wallace, who owned a substantial in the region, affording the family relative prosperity amid the rural economy of post-Civil War Texas. As one of six children in the Wallace household, Miriam experienced a stable agrarian upbringing typical of affluent farming families in during the late , though specific details of her early years remain limited in historical records. Her mother's prior marriage to a Ferguson produced half-siblings, including Annie Elyza Ferguson Dollarhide (1857–1941), linking the family to broader kinship networks in Bell County that would later intersect with Miriam's own marital ties.

Education and Early Influences

Miriam Amanda Wallace was born on June 13, 1875, in , to Joseph L. Wallace and Eliza Garrison Wallace as one of six children in a prosperous farming that held substantial assets. The Wallace household provided a stable rural environment, with her father's death in 1898 marking a significant transition that left the with inherited properties and financial resources. Wallace's formal education began with public schooling augmented by private tutoring at home, reflecting the limited but structured opportunities available in late 19th-century rural Texas. She subsequently spent two years at Salado College, a preparatory academy in Salado, Texas, which emphasized classical and practical studies for young women. In the 1890s, she briefly attended Baylor Female College in nearby Belton, an institution affiliated with the Baptist tradition that offered higher education tailored to female students, though she did not complete a degree there. These educational experiences, combined with her family's agrarian roots and community standing in Bell County, formed the foundational influences of Wallace's early years, instilling values of self-reliance and local engagement prior to her marriage in 1899.

Marriage and Entry into Politics

Union with James E. Ferguson

Miriam Amanda Wallace, born on June 13, 1875, in Bell County, Texas, married James Edward Ferguson, a fellow Bell County native and lawyer, on December 31, 1899, at her family's farm near Belton. At the time of the wedding, she was twenty-four years old and had recently completed her education at Salado College and Baylor Female College. The union produced two daughters: Ouida Wallace Ferguson, born in 1900, and Dorrace Ferguson, born in 1903. Following the marriage, the couple settled in Temple, Texas, where James Ferguson expanded beyond his legal practice into banking as president of Temple State Bank and real estate ventures, achieving financial success that allowed for a comfortable family life. Miriam Ferguson devoted herself to managing the household and child-rearing, earning the affectionate nickname "Ma" from her daughters, which later became her public moniker. During this period, prior to James Ferguson's entry into politics in the early 1910s, the family maintained a private existence focused on domestic stability amid the rural Texas landscape.

Husband's Rise, Impeachment, and Disqualification

James Edward Ferguson, a self-taught and banker from , rose to political prominence as a Democratic outsider challenging the state's establishment. Lacking prior elected experience, he campaigned in the Democratic primary on populist themes, including increased state funding for rural schools, rent reform for tenant farmers, and opposition to , which appealed to agrarian voters amid economic hardships. After defeating incumbent Governor Oscar Colquitt's preferred successor in a runoff against Thomas H. Ball, Ferguson won the general election unopposed and took office on January 19, 1915. Ferguson's first term emphasized progressive measures, such as establishing a Department and expanding public access, which bolstered his rural support base and led to his unopposed re-election in November 1916 for a second term beginning January 1917. However, conflicts emerged, particularly his 1916 veto of appropriations for the University of Texas, motivated by personal grievances against faculty he accused of disloyalty and opposition to his policies, including their support for U.S. entry into . This action, combined with allegations of administrative irregularities—such as the misuse of state funds for personal expenses, including reimbursements for unauthorized meals dubbed the "chicken salad case"—intensified scrutiny from the legislature and press. State Attorney General Dan Moody investigated Ferguson for embezzlement, recovering approximately $1 million for Texas citizens. Investigations by a legislative committee uncovered evidence of financial mismanagement, prompting the to impeach Ferguson on July 21, 1917, on 21 charges ranging from misapplication of public funds to neglect of duty and common-law offenses like . The , sitting as a of impeachment, conducted a marked by partisan divisions and procedural disputes, ultimately convicting him on ten charges—including improper fund handling and —by a vote of 25 to 3 on August 25, 1917, with formal judgment rendered September 25. This resulted in his immediate removal from office and permanent prohibition from holding any future state office of "honor, trust, or profit," a penalty upheld under the state constitution. William P. Hobby, the lieutenant governor, succeeded Ferguson as governor in 1917 and won election to a full term in 1918.

Path to Governorship

Motivations for Candidacy

Following and removal from office in , along with his subsequent disqualification from holding public office, Miriam A. Ferguson initially focused on family life without political ambitions. Courts upheld his ineligibility for the , prompting her to announce her candidacy for the Democratic nomination as a means to circumvent the ban and enable his continued influence. Her primary motivation was to vindicate her husband's name and restore the Ferguson family's political standing, with James Ferguson openly pledging to advise and effectively govern through her administration. The campaign adopted the slogan "two governors for the price of one," underscoring her role as a surrogate to advance his progressive policies and secure legislative restoration of his civil rights, which she signed into law on March 31, 1925. This proxy arrangement addressed voter demands for Ferguson's return while leveraging her candidacy to oppose influential groups like the , though her platform emphasized family loyalty over personal political drive. Ferguson's reluctance to enter public life stemmed from her character as a devoted homemaker with minimal prior interest in affairs beyond her home and children, yet her decision reflected unwavering devotion to her husband amid efforts to clear the family from the stigma of his impeachment. Critics viewed her run as a vehicle for James Ferguson's agenda, but supporters saw it as a pragmatic path to resume his reforms on education, infrastructure, and fiscal restraint.

1924 Gubernatorial Campaign and Election

Following the impeachment and disqualification of her husband, James E. Ferguson, from holding public office in 1917, Miriam A. Ferguson entered the 1924 Texas gubernatorial race as his surrogate candidate. James Ferguson openly supported her campaign and, unable to appear on the ballot due to his ban, heavily influenced its direction, with Miriam stating she would consult him for advice on policy and governance; he promised voters "two governors for the price of one." The Fergusons framed the candidacy as a means to vindicate James's reputation and restore his progressive policies, emphasizing opposition to the Ku Klux Klan's influence in state politics. The Democratic primary on July 26, 1924, featured eight candidates, with Klan-backed prohibitionist Felix D. Robertson leading the field with 193,508 votes (27.52%), followed closely by Miriam Ferguson with 146,424 votes (20.82%). Other notable contenders included Lynch Davidson with 141,208 votes (20.08%) and T. W. Davidson with 125,011 votes (17.78%), necessitating a runoff between Ferguson and Robertson. Campaign centered on Ferguson's pledges for fiscal restraint through appropriations cuts, resistance to additional restrictions, and explicit condemnation of the Klan, positioning her as an reformer against entrenched interests. A common slogan used by supporters was "Me for Ma, and I Ain't Got a Durned Thing Against Pa." In the , 1924, runoff, Ferguson secured victory with 413,751 votes (56.70%) to Robertson's 316,019 (43.30%), a margin exceeding 97,000 votes, driven by rural and anti-Klan sentiment. The Fergusons mobilized supporters through James's extensive speaking tours, with Miriam's speeches at rallies primarily consisting of introducing her husband ("Pa") and allowing him to take the platform, portraying Miriam's as retribution against political adversaries who had orchestrated his removal. The general election on November 4, 1924, pitted Ferguson against Republican nominee George C. , a former University of law school dean. Many of Butte's votes came from women and suffragists, and thousands of Democratic voters crossed party lines to support him due to lingering resentment over the widespread corruption during James Ferguson's governorship, which had resulted in his impeachment; Butte's total was unusually high for a Republican candidate in the primarily Democratic state of Texas, where typical Republican gubernatorial vote shares ranged between 11,000 and 30,000. Ferguson won decisively with 422,563 votes (58.9%) to Butte's 294,920 (41.1%). Her triumph marked her as the first woman elected and the second in the United States, following Nellie Tayloe of .

First Term (1925–1927)

Administrative Priorities and Key Initiatives

Barry Miller served as Lieutenant Governor during Ferguson's first term. Ferguson's administration emphasized fiscal restraint, seeking to limit state expenditures amid post-World War I economic pressures, though it advocated for new revenue measures including a state and corporate to support without expanding the budget. Efforts to reduce wasteful spending, a key campaign pledge, largely stalled due to legislative resistance and political opposition from anti-Ferguson factions. Similarly, initiatives to boost funding for public education and highway construction—priorities inherited from her husband's prior tenure—failed to materialize in significant appropriations, leaving Texas's road system and schools under-resourced relative to growing demands. A cornerstone achievement was the passage of anti-Ku Klux Klan legislation in 1925, which prohibited the wearing of masks in public places except during specific exemptions like holiday celebrations or medical necessity, effectively targeting the group's secretive operations and intimidation tactics prevalent in at the time. This measure aligned with Ferguson's explicit campaign opposition to the Klan's influence in state politics and reflected broader Progressive-era efforts to curb vigilante organizations, though enforcement remained uneven. The governor's extensive use of clemency powers marked another major initiative, with Ferguson issuing over 2,000 pardons and paroles during her first term—an average of approximately 100 per month—often citing rehabilitation potential or procedural irregularities in convictions. Critics, including political rivals, alleged , claiming bribes in cash or land influenced decisions, particularly for those convicted of non-violent offenses; however, investigations yielded no concrete evidence of impropriety, and supporters argued the pardons addressed and outdated sentencing practices in prisons. This approach drew from her husband's earlier pardon practices but amplified controversy, contributing to perceptions of favoritism in her proxy-like governance.

Anti-Ku Klux Klan Measures

During her 1924 gubernatorial campaign, Ferguson positioned herself as a staunch opponent of the , which held significant influence in politics at the time, including endorsements for her rival candidate, Judge Felix Robertson. Her platform explicitly targeted the Klan's secretive operations, appealing to voters concerned about its role in promoting nativism, , and vigilante activities amid post-World War I social tensions. This stance garnered support from anti-Klan coalitions, including women's groups and figures like Jessie Daniel Ames, who mobilized female voters against the organization in the election that saw Ferguson secure victory with over 55% of the vote in the runoff. Upon assuming office on January 20, 1925, Ferguson prioritized fulfilling her anti-Klan pledge by advocating for legislation to curb the group's anonymity. The , under her influence, passed House Bill 5 in early 1925, an anti-mask law prohibiting individuals from wearing disguises in public while committing crimes or attending gatherings intended to intimidate, directly aimed at Klan night rides and rallies. This measure required unmasking for anyone suspected of , with penalties including fines up to $500 or imprisonment for up to one year, reflecting Ferguson's intent to expose Klan members and deter their activities through legal transparency. However, the law faced immediate legal challenges from Klan sympathizers, who argued it infringed on free assembly and privacy rights. In 1926, the overturned the statute in Ex parte Davis, ruling it unconstitutionally vague and overbroad, thereby nullifying its enforcement before it could significantly impact Klan operations statewide. Despite this setback, Ferguson's administration pursued limited prosecutions under existing statutes against Klan-linked violence, though records indicate few convictions, as local in rural areas often sympathized with or tolerated the group. Ferguson's anti-Klan efforts extended beyond legislation to public rhetoric; in post-election statements, she affirmed plans to "oust" the from state influence, emphasizing over extralegal . These measures, while symbolically significant in signaling gubernatorial opposition, had constrained practical effect due to judicial reversal and the Klan's decentralized structure, contributing to its gradual decline in by the late amid broader national waning. Her actions aligned with her husband's prior antagonism toward the Klan, yet critics, including pro-Klan press, accused her of inconsistent enforcement amid other political priorities like pardons. Ferguson's first term ended after she sought re-election in the 1926 Democratic primary but was defeated by Dan Moody, who had served as state attorney general. Suffragist activism played a major role in her defeat, as women's groups rallied behind and campaigned for Moody. Moody subsequently won the general election, becoming the youngest governor of Texas at age 33.

Inter-Term Period and Return to Office

Political Activities and Opposition

Following the conclusion of her first term on January 18, 1927, Miriam A. Ferguson withdrew from active campaigning, having been defeated in the 1926 Democratic primary by Dan J. Moody amid lingering controversies over her pardon practices and highway contract awards. During the subsequent years, she and her husband sustained political relevance through indirect means, including James's support for anti-Moody candidates such as Louis J. Wardlaw in the 1928 gubernatorial race and the operation of the Ferguson Forum, a founded in 1924 to rebut criticisms of James's and extended into attacks on perceived extravagance and favoritism in the Moody administration. In 1930, Ferguson reentered the gubernatorial contest after the Supreme Court rejected James Ferguson's own ballot petition due to his disqualification; she secured a spot in the Democratic runoff but lost to oilman by approximately 13,000 votes (Sterling: 518,902; Ferguson: 505,727), with opposition emphasizing her role as a surrogate for her husband and reviving charges of graft from her prior tenure. In that year, Texas Secretary of State Jane Y. McCallum published a pamphlet criticizing Ferguson's numerous pardons. Sterling's victory, backed by business and urban interests amid improving economic conditions before the Great Depression's full impact, underscored the Fergusons' portrayal by critics as emblematic of machine-style and fiscal irresponsibility, contrasting with Moody's reformist image of and measures. The inter-term opposition to Ferguson stemmed primarily from establishment Democrats aligned with Moody and Sterling, who leveraged her husband's permanent bar from office—imposed after his 1917 impeachment for financial improprieties—to question her independence and administrative integrity. James Ferguson's behind-the-scenes management of her bid, including strategy and fundraising, fueled narratives of "two governors for the price of one," while the Ferguson Forum countered by decrying rivals' alleged waste in state spending, such as Moody's highway expansions and university funding increases, which the paper claimed burdened taxpayers without proportional benefits. This period of relative quiescence for Ferguson personally, punctuated by the failed effort, positioned the couple as populist outsiders critiquing elite-driven governance, setting the stage for her Depression-era resurgence by highlighting economic hardships under Sterling.

1932 Gubernatorial Campaign and Election

In February 1932, Miriam A. Ferguson announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for , capitalizing on widespread dissatisfaction with incumbent amid the . Her platform emphasized fiscal restraint, including promises to lower taxes, reduce state expenditures, and eliminate waste and graft in government operations. Ferguson's husband, , played a prominent role in directing the campaign strategy, leveraging his political influence despite his prior and disqualification from office. The Democratic primary on July 23, 1932, featured a crowded field, with Ferguson emerging as the top vote-getter but falling short of a . She received 402,238 votes (41.56%), ahead of Sterling's 296,383 (30.62%) and Tom F. Hunter's 220,391 (22.77%), out of a total of 967,928 votes cast. Critics, including Sterling supporters, highlighted Ferguson's controversial record of issuing numerous pardons during her first term (1925–1927), portraying her as a continuation of her husband's influence rather than an independent leader. Nonetheless, her appeal to voters seeking change in economic policy propelled her to the runoff against Sterling on August 27, 1932. In the runoff, Ferguson secured a narrow victory with 477,644 votes (50.20%) to Sterling's 473,846 (49.80%), from a total of 951,490 votes, reflecting deep party divisions and turnout driven by Depression-era hardships. The close margin underscored Sterling's incumbency advantage but also Ferguson's ability to mobilize rural and Democrats frustrated with state fiscal management under his administration. As the Democratic nominee, Ferguson faced Republican Orville Bullington in the general election on November 8, 1932. In solidly Democratic , she won decisively with 522,395 votes (61.98%) against Bullington's 317,590 (37.68%), out of 842,868 total votes. Her victory restored her to office for a second non-consecutive term beginning January 17, 1933, amid expectations that she would address economic relief while adhering to her campaign's austerity pledges.
Election StageDateFerguson Votes (%)Opponent Votes (%)Total Votes
Democratic PrimaryJuly 23, 1932402,238 (41.56%)Sterling: 296,383 (30.62%); Hunter: 220,391 (22.77%)967,928
Democratic RunoffAugust 27, 1932477,644 (50.20%)Sterling: 473,846 (49.80%)951,490
November 8, 1932522,395 (61.98%)Bullington: 317,590 (37.68%)842,868

Second Term (1933–1935)

Responses to the Great Depression

Upon assuming office on January 17, 1933, with Edgar E. Witt serving as Lieutenant Governor, Miriam A. Ferguson confronted a economy crippled by the , with the state facing bankruptcy and a $14 million annual deficit. Immediately after taking office, following the Texas Rangers' public support for her opponent Ross Sterling in the 1932 gubernatorial election, Ferguson discharged all serving Texas Rangers. She declared a moratorium on state banks on March 2, 1933—three days before President Franklin D. Roosevelt's national bank holiday—to stem widespread bank failures and preserve liquidity. To address immediate unemployment and hardship, Ferguson established the Texas Relief Commission by , appointing Lawrence Westbrook as director, who collaborated with her husband to devise relief strategies. In May 1933, the legislature created the Texas Rehabilitation and Relief Commission to administer federal funds under the Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA), distributing aid through county-level boards despite initial resistance to borrowing authority. Ferguson pursued fiscal restraint by holding state expenditures steady and advocating revenue measures, including state sales and corporate income taxes, though the approved only a two-cent-per-barrel on production. The Great Depression forced federal and state governments to reduce personnel and funding, including for the Texas Rangers law-enforcement agency; the legislature slashed the Rangers' salaries and funds, reducing the force to 32 men. This contributed to Texas becoming a safe hideout for Depression-era gangsters, including Bonnie and Clyde, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Raymond Hamilton. Hasty appointments of many unqualified Rangers proved ineffective against increasing criminality. The general disorganization of law enforcement in the state convinced the Texas Legislature that a thorough revision of the public security system was needed, prompting them to hire a consulting firm from Chicago; the firm's report concluded that criminality levels in Texas were extremely high and described the state's means to fight crime as underfunded, undermanned, loose, disorganized, and obsolete. Besides increasing funding, the firm recommended merging the Texas Rangers with the Texas Highway Patrol under a new agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). The Texas Legislature approved the creation of the DPS in 1935 under successor Governor James V. Allred, with an initial budget of $450,000; the DPS became operational in late summer 1935. She secured legislative approval for $20 million in relief bonds—dubbed "bread bonds"—which voters ratified on August 26, 1933, to match federal grants and fund direct aid, work relief, and programs for transients and the unemployable; these funds were rapidly depleted, necessitating further appropriations. Her administration also enacted a $3,000 to shield property owners from es and foreclosures, though this exacerbated the state's fiscal strain by reducing revenue. Cooperation with initiatives extended to facilitating federal programs, positioning Texas to receive FERA allocations while maintaining local control over distribution. Relief efforts faced scrutiny amid allegations of inefficiency and , including claims of favoritism in fund allocation under Westbrook's leadership; a state investigation in fall 1933 uncovered instances of , prompting his replacement by A. R. Johnson on February 12, 1934, and the dismantling of the centralized "relief machine" in favor of decentralized county administration. Despite these challenges, the commissions provided temporary succor to thousands amid rates exceeding 20 percent in , though Ferguson's policies prioritized balanced budgets over expansive state intervention, reflecting her campaign pledges to curb waste without fully resolving structural deficits. Critics noted that while federal partnerships averted total collapse, state-level graft undermined in the programs. During her second term from January 17, 1933, to January 15, 1935, Miriam A. Ferguson maintained a liberal approach to executive clemency, issuing and paroles at a high rate consistent with her first administration, though generating less public outcry amid the broader economic crises of the . Critics, including political opponents, continued to allege that these actions favored personal or financial interests, with persistent but unproven rumors claiming that pardons were available in exchange for cash payments to the governor's husband, James E. Ferguson, alongside other unproven claims of bribes involving cash and land exchanged for clemency, particularly for individuals convicted of prohibition-era offenses such as bootlegging. Ferguson's overall record across both terms encompassed nearly 4,000 acts of clemency, including full , conditional , and paroles, far exceeding predecessors like Governor Pat Neff, who issued around 2,600 during his tenure. Ferguson's policy emphasized recommendations from the Texas Prison Board and local officials, but her administration processed an average of approximately 100 clemency actions per month, many restoring rights to former inmates convicted of non-violent crimes or vice-related violations under state laws, which remained in effect until national repeal in 1933. In practice, this included paroles that allowed supervised release and s that fully exonerated convictions, often justified by Ferguson as merciful responses to overcrowded s and minor infractions, though detractors argued the volume undermined judicial authority and public safety. No formal convictions for arose from these practices, but the persistent scandals contributed to legislative backlash, culminating in a 1936 Texas that transferred authority from the to an independent three-member Board of Pardons and Paroles to prevent perceived abuses.
CategoryApproximate Number (Both Terms)
Full Pardons1,318
Conditional Pardons829
Total Clemency Acts~3,595–4,000
This table summarizes the scale of Ferguson's clemency output, highlighting the emphasis on restorative measures over retributive sentencing, a stance aligned with her campaign pledges for prison reform but criticized for lacking rigorous oversight.

Political Ideology and Policies

Fiscal and Economic Stances

Miriam A. Ferguson campaigned in 1924 on a platform emphasizing fiscal restraint, pledging to reduce state expenditures by $15 million and lower taxes for Texas citizens burdened by high assessments. Despite these commitments, actual state expenditures rose slightly during her first term from 1925 to 1927, though she contended that taxation had been reduced overall and appropriations remained within constitutional limits. Her administration prioritized limiting government spending growth amid post-World War I economic pressures, reflecting a broader stance against excessive fiscal expansion inherited from her husband's earlier populist governance. Characterized as a fiscal conservative, Ferguson sought to curb state outlays and vetoed numerous bills perceived as inflationary or unnecessary, contributing to perceptions of budgetary discipline even as total appropriations edged higher than the prior biennium. In her economic outlook, she favored measures supporting agrarian interests, such as potential relief for farmers, while opposing policies that might hinder business operations or burdens. During her second term from 1933 to 1935, amid the Great Depression's revenue shortfalls, Ferguson's stances shifted toward revenue diversification; she advocated unsuccessfully for a corporate and a state to bolster state finances without solely relying on ad valorem property levies. She also proposed a specific on production to fund schools and , aligning with efforts to tap wealth for public needs. Additionally, she endorsed targeted economic interventions like loans for farmers and "bread bonds" for impoverished families, indicating pragmatic support for spending balanced against her core . Her initiation of oil industry regulations further underscored a stance favoring state oversight to stabilize volatile sectors critical to Texas's economy.

Social and Cultural Positions

Miriam A. Ferguson held traditional views on gender roles, having opposed prior to her candidacy, which aligned with her belief that politics was primarily a domain for men, though she entered the race as a proxy to vindicate her impeached husband. Despite this, her inaugural address proclaimed political equality for women and sought their goodwill and prayers, reflecting a pragmatic adaptation to her position while emphasizing her roles as wife and mother. Her campaign rhetoric and personal demeanor underscored feminine domesticity, portraying governance as an extension of familial duty rather than a broader push for gender activism. Ferguson staunchly opposed the , campaigning against its nativist and sectarian influence in politics and enacting legislation such as the 1925 anti-mask law to curb its activities and remove Klan-affiliated officials. This position stemmed from her platform's explicit measures targeting the organization's political power, positioning her as a defender of and against extralegal , particularly its anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant agendas. On Prohibition, Ferguson aligned with "wet" forces advocating repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, opposing strict enforcement despite being a teetotaler like her husband, as reflected in her 1924 and 1932 platforms calling for its end to reduce state burdens and restore personal liberties. In education, Ferguson supported conservative policies aligned with , leading the State Textbook Commission in the 1920s to adopt biology texts that omitted and reject those including it, thereby prioritizing over Darwinian theory in public instruction. She is often credited with the quote "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it ought to be good enough for the children of Texas" in opposition to bilingual education in Texas schools, though she did not originate the phrase. Her administration's reinforced this by endorsing materials that avoided modernist scientific challenges to religious doctrine, consistent with broader Southern resistance to secular curricula.

Controversies and Criticisms

Allegations of Corruption and Proxy Governance

Miriam A. Ferguson's gubernatorial campaigns and administrations were frequently criticized as vehicles for her husband, James E. "Jim" Ferguson, to exercise control over state government following his 1917 and permanent disqualification from holding public office. Opponents contended that she served primarily as a proxy, with Jim Ferguson directing policy decisions and administrative appointments from , a dynamic encapsulated in campaign rhetoric promising "two governors for the price of one." Ferguson herself publicly affirmed this arrangement, stating during her campaign that, if elected, she would "follow the advice of her husband," which fueled perceptions that her leadership lacked independence. Such proxy governance allegations intensified scrutiny of her first term (1925–1927), where Jim Ferguson's influence extended to key appointments and decision-making processes, including the selection of state officials and the shaping of legislative priorities. Critics, including future governor , argued that this arrangement circumvented constitutional restrictions and perpetuated the associated with Jim Ferguson's prior tenure, portraying Miriam Ferguson as a rather than an autonomous executive. As Patricia Bernstein of the Houston Chronicle observed, "There was never a question in anyone's mind as to who was really running things when Ma was governor." Moody's 1926 against her explicitly highlighted Jim Ferguson's undue sway, contributing to her electoral defeat that year amid broader charges of inefficiency and favoritism in state operations. Beyond proxy dynamics, her administrations faced specific corruption allegations related to the awarding of contracts, with accusations that the state commission funneled deals to political allies in exchange for kickbacks and campaign contributions. Reports emerged of irregularities, including instances where road contractors allegedly received payments totaling $7 million for work valued at only $2 million, prompting investigations into within the Texas Department. During her second term, rumors arose that state highway contracts were awarded only to companies that advertised in the Fergusons' newspaper, the Ferguson Forum. A House committee investigated these rumors, but no charges were filed. While these claims damaged her reputation and were leveraged by opponents to depict systemic graft under Ferguson influence, no formal convictions resulted, and some contemporaries noted a lack of conclusive tying her directly to illicit gains. Nonetheless, the scandals underscored persistent concerns over accountability in an administration perceived as extension of her husband's embattled .

Pardon Scandals and Bribery Claims

Miriam Ferguson's gubernatorial terms were overshadowed by intense scrutiny of her pardon practices, which involved issuing clemency at an unprecedented rate. In her first term (1925–1927), she granted over 2,000 acts of clemency, averaging about 100 convicts per month, encompassing full pardons, paroles, reprieves, and furloughs for offenses ranging from minor crimes to violent felonies. This approach stemmed from a campaign pledge for a liberal policy aimed at reducing prison populations and operational costs amid overcrowding. Across both terms, the total reached nearly 4,000 pardons, many to individuals convicted of violating prohibition laws, setting a record for executive clemency in Texas history. Bribery allegations centered on claims that Ferguson and her husband, , accepted payments—such as cash or land—in exchange for favorable clemency decisions. Critics, including political opponents like , asserted that James Ferguson effectively controlled the process by reviewing applications at the family farm outside Austin, bypassing official channels and enabling influence peddling. Public anecdotes amplified the controversy, including jokes about the swift processing of requests and a purported incident where James Ferguson linked a $5,000 sale to a subsequent grant. Even some Ferguson supporters expressed alarm over for murderers and other serious offenders, viewing the volume as undermining public safety and justice. No formal charges or convictions for resulted from these accusations, and investigations yielded no concrete evidence of illicit transactions. James Ferguson publicly dismissed the claims as fabrications by enemies, demanding proof and using plural pronouns ("we") to defend his wife's administration in speeches. The Fergusons maintained that decisions were merit-based and merciful, often prioritizing rehabilitation over retribution. Nonetheless, the scandals eroded her popularity, contributing to her loss in the 1926 Democratic primary runoff to Moody, who campaigned explicitly against Ferguson-era corruption. Similar criticisms resurfaced during her 1932–1935 term, though with diminished intensity amid priorities, as she continued issuing hundreds more pardons.

Later Years and Legacy

Post-Gubernatorial Life

After concluding her second term as governor on January 15, 1935, Miriam A. Ferguson retired from public office and did not pursue further political ambitions for several years. Her active involvement in governance ended, marking the close of a political career dominated by her husband's influence and her own proxy role. In 1940, Ferguson briefly reentered the political arena by entering the Democratic primary for to challenge incumbent , campaigning on themes of fiscal restraint and anti-corruption, but she was defeated in the runoff. This unsuccessful bid represented her final electoral effort, after which she withdrew permanently from campaigning. Following the death of her husband, , in 1944, she retreated to a private life in Austin, focusing on personal pursuits such as her rose beds. This period of seclusion lasted until her own death from on June 25, 1961, at age 86; she was interred in the beside her husband.

Historical Evaluations: Achievements Versus Shortcomings

Historical assessments of Miriam A. Ferguson's gubernatorial terms portray a mixed legacy, marked by pioneering advancements for women in alongside persistent allegations of favoritism and graft that overshadowed initiatives. Elected as Texas's first female governor in 1925 and reelected in 1932, Ferguson navigated the challenges of the Ku Klux Klan's influence and the , yet her administrations were frequently critiqued for operating under the control of her impeached husband, James E. "Pa" Ferguson, raising questions about independent leadership. Among her notable achievements, Ferguson championed anti-Klan measures, successfully pushing through an anti-mask law in that curtailed the group's public intimidation tactics, although it was later overturned by courts. In her second term, she implemented fiscal restraint by reducing the state payroll by 25 percent amid economic distress, aligning with priorities and advocating for sales and corporate income taxes to stabilize finances, though these proposals failed to pass. Her extensive use of executive clemency—issuing an average of 100 pardons per month, totaling nearly 4,000 across both terms—was defended as a compassionate response to and fiscal pressures during the Depression, freeing resources for rehabilitation over incarceration. Conversely, Ferguson's shortcomings drew sharp criticism for undermining through perceived and proxy governance. Detractors accused her of accepting bribes in the form of land and for pardons, with investigations revealing irregularities in the process, while contracts were allegedly awarded to political allies, resulting in overpayments such as $7 million disbursed for $2 million in actual work. Pa Ferguson's overt involvement, including attending Texas Highway Commission meetings, fueled perceptions that Ma served merely as a surrogate, perpetuating "Fergusonism"—a term synonymous with demagoguery and that contradicted her campaign pledges for economical government. These scandals contributed to her defeats in subsequent primaries in 1926, 1930, and 1940, cementing a historical view that, despite addressing pressing issues like and opposition, her terms prioritized personal and familial interests over transparent administration.

References

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