Harriett Woods
Encyclopedia
Harriett Woods was an American politician and activist, a two-time Democratic
nominee for the United States Senate
from Missouri
, and a former Lieutenant Governor of Missouri. She was Missouri's first and so far only female Lieutenant Governor.
Born Ruth Harriett Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio
, she received her Bachelor of Arts
in philosophy
from the University of Michigan
. She married Jim Woods on January 2, 1953. Before beginning her career in politics, Woods worked as a journalist
and TV producer.
Her political career began as a member of the University City
Council in 1962, where she served for eight years. Woods was elected to the Missouri State Senate
in 1976 and was re-elected in 1980. In 1982, she made a strong bid for the US Senate, running against moderate incumbent Republican
John Danforth
. Aided by a strong grassroots base that rallied under the slogan, "Give them hell, Harriett!" (a play on a similar slogan used by supporters of another Missourian, Harry Truman), Woods built up a political presence in the state. Danforth defeated Woods by a margin of less than two percent. Some have argued that the deciding margin in the campaign was Woods' strong support for abortion rights in a state where rural voters generally oppose abortion (http://www.umsl.edu/~whmc/guides/whm0490.htm). Still in the 1982 election, Harriett Woods carried the rural areas of the state including every county in the southeast part of the state. She also carried the "Little Dixie" area of the state—the northeast section of Missouri—along with the heavily Democratic Kanas City area. However, Harriett Woods had problems in the other traditionally Democratic area of Missouri as she lost the St. Louis area to Danforth, despite the fact that she lived and worked as a television producer and newspaper reporter in University City, a suburb of St. Louis. Danforth was also from the St. Louis area. Being a former television producer, Harriett Woods was able to communicate her message effectively over television. By mid-October, she was running dead even in the polls with the more widely known incumbent—Danforth.
However, an important reason for Hariett Wood's narrow loss to Danforth the Republican incumbent Danforth by a mere 26,200 votes in the 1982 election was fact that she was outspent ($1,849,025 for Danforth and $1,193,966 for Woods) and she ran out money during the campaign forcing her to pull her very effective television ads for an entire week late in the campaign. Nationwide, publicity over the narrow loss of a person, who with a little more money, might have been the first woman ever elected Senator from the State of Missouri led to the creation of the political action committee called Emily's List in 1985.
In 1984, Woods ran for the office of Lieutenant Governor. Her name recognition from the Senate race gave her a significant advantage. She succeeded in her bid, even as voters elected the deeply conservative John Ashcroft
as Governor and as President Ronald Reagan
carried Missouri on his way to a 49-state re-election victory. Woods was the first woman elected to statewide office in Missouri.
In 1986, she once again was chosen as the Democratic nominee for the Senate, this time running against former Governor Kit Bond
for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Thomas Eagleton
. In another tight race, Woods lost by a five-point margin. She served as Lieutenant Governor until 1989.
After her retirement, she remained prominent, especially as an activist for women in politics. From 1991 to 1995 she was president of the National Women's Political Caucus
. In 1999 she was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame
.
In January 2001 she joined other Missouri Democrats to oppose the nomination of John Ashcroft
for U.S. Attorney General (http://judiciary.senate.gov/oldsite/te011601hw.htm).
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and a former Lieutenant Governor of Missouri. She was Missouri's first and so far only female Lieutenant Governor.
Born Ruth Harriett Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, she received her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. She married Jim Woods on January 2, 1953. Before beginning her career in politics, Woods worked as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and TV producer.
Her political career began as a member of the University City
University City, Missouri
University City is an inner-ring suburb in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 35,371 in 2010 census. The city was shaped by Washington University in St. Louis, whose campus abuts the city to the southeast....
Council in 1962, where she served for eight years. Woods was elected to the Missouri State Senate
Missouri Senate
The Missouri State Senate is the upper chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 34 members, representing districts with an average population of 160,000...
in 1976 and was re-elected in 1980. In 1982, she made a strong bid for the US Senate, running against moderate incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
John Danforth
John Danforth
John Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
. Aided by a strong grassroots base that rallied under the slogan, "Give them hell, Harriett!" (a play on a similar slogan used by supporters of another Missourian, Harry Truman), Woods built up a political presence in the state. Danforth defeated Woods by a margin of less than two percent. Some have argued that the deciding margin in the campaign was Woods' strong support for abortion rights in a state where rural voters generally oppose abortion (http://www.umsl.edu/~whmc/guides/whm0490.htm). Still in the 1982 election, Harriett Woods carried the rural areas of the state including every county in the southeast part of the state. She also carried the "Little Dixie" area of the state—the northeast section of Missouri—along with the heavily Democratic Kanas City area. However, Harriett Woods had problems in the other traditionally Democratic area of Missouri as she lost the St. Louis area to Danforth, despite the fact that she lived and worked as a television producer and newspaper reporter in University City, a suburb of St. Louis. Danforth was also from the St. Louis area. Being a former television producer, Harriett Woods was able to communicate her message effectively over television. By mid-October, she was running dead even in the polls with the more widely known incumbent—Danforth.
However, an important reason for Hariett Wood's narrow loss to Danforth the Republican incumbent Danforth by a mere 26,200 votes in the 1982 election was fact that she was outspent ($1,849,025 for Danforth and $1,193,966 for Woods) and she ran out money during the campaign forcing her to pull her very effective television ads for an entire week late in the campaign. Nationwide, publicity over the narrow loss of a person, who with a little more money, might have been the first woman ever elected Senator from the State of Missouri led to the creation of the political action committee called Emily's List in 1985.
In 1984, Woods ran for the office of Lieutenant Governor. Her name recognition from the Senate race gave her a significant advantage. She succeeded in her bid, even as voters elected the deeply conservative John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft
John David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
as Governor and as President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
carried Missouri on his way to a 49-state re-election victory. Woods was the first woman elected to statewide office in Missouri.
In 1986, she once again was chosen as the Democratic nominee for the Senate, this time running against former Governor Kit Bond
Kit Bond
Christopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53%-47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004...
for the seat being vacated by retiring Senator Thomas Eagleton
Thomas Eagleton
Thomas Francis Eagleton was a United States Senator from Missouri, serving from 1968–1987. He is best remembered for briefly being the Democratic vice presidential nominee under George McGovern in 1972...
. In another tight race, Woods lost by a five-point margin. She served as Lieutenant Governor until 1989.
After her retirement, she remained prominent, especially as an activist for women in politics. From 1991 to 1995 she was president of the National Women's Political Caucus
National Women's Political Caucus
The National Women's Political Caucus is a national bipartisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices....
. In 1999 she was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame
St. Louis Walk of Fame
The St. Louis Walk of Fame honors well-known people from St. Louis, Missouri, who made contributions to culture of the United States. All inductees were either born in the Greater St. Louis area or spent their formative or creative years there...
.
In January 2001 she joined other Missouri Democrats to oppose the nomination of John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft
John David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
for U.S. Attorney General (http://judiciary.senate.gov/oldsite/te011601hw.htm).
External links
- Harriett Woods' Entry on the St. Louis Walk of Fame
- Harriett Woods Papers 1964-1980 (Western Historical Manuscript Collection)
- Harriett Woods Papers Addenda 1975-1983 (Western Historical Manuscript Collection)
- Harriett Woods Papers Addenda 1945-1999 (Western Historical Manuscript Collection)