Jane Swift

Jane Swift was the acting governor of Massachusetts from 2001-2003, while also serving as lieutenant governor. She was the youngest female governor or acting governor in U.S. history.

Swift was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, on February 24, 1965. In 1987, she graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, with a bachelor's degree in American studies.

Swift began her political career at age 25 when she was elected to the Massachusetts Senate, serving from 1991-1997. In 1996, she was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in Massachusetts' 1st congressional district but lost in the general election. She was appointed Massachusetts' consumer affairs secretary in 1997, serving in that position until her election as lieutenant governor in 1998. She became acting governor in April 2001 when Governor Paul Cellucci was appointed U.S. ambassador to Canada by President George W. Bush. She was pregnant with twins and became the first sitting governor in U.S. history to give birth. She announced her intention to run for a full term as governor but withdrew from the race before the primary.

Sources:

National Governors Association. (n.d.). Gov. Jane Marie Swift. Retrieved on July 20, 2020, from https://www.nga.org/governor/jane-maria-swift.

Women's Media Center. (n.d.). Jane Swift. Retrieved on July 20, 2020, from https://www.womensmediacenter.com/shesource/expert/jane-swift#full.