When did the last Democratic woman hold statewide office in texas

1. Ann Richards: the last Democratic woman to win statewide in modern Texas

Ann Richards won election as Texas state treasurer in 1982 and used statewide office as a springboard, ultimately winning the governor’s race and serving as governor from 1991–1995; sources identify her as the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas since the 1930s and as the prominent Democratic statewide officeholder in that era ^{[1] [2] [5]}.

2. What “last Democratic woman” means in practice

If the question asks when a Democratic woman last held any statewide elected office in Texas, available sources point to Ann Richards’ governorship (ended 1995) and her earlier statewide elections (treasurer in 1982) as the last high-profile Democratic-woman statewide victories in the late 20th century ^{[1] [6]}. Sources do not list a later Democratic woman winning another statewide elected office after Richards ^{[6] [2]}.

3. Party realignment and the shrinking Democratic statewide footprint

Reporting and historical summaries show the 1990s as the moment Republicans consolidated statewide power in Texas; commentators and recent coverage frame the 2020s and the 2026 Senate contest as Democrats’ best near-term opportunities to break that streak ^{[6] [3]}. The Texas Tribune and national outlets note Democrats have not won many statewide races this century and that the party regards the Senate seat as a top pickup target ^{[3] [7]}.

4. Contemporary campaigns and why the “last” date matters now

Coverage of Jasmine Crockett’s 2026 Senate entry underscores the symbolic weight of a Democratic woman winning statewide: reporters and Democratic strategists point out that a statewide Democratic victory would be the first for the party in decades and, if successful by a woman, historic in other ways (for example, potentially the first Black woman to win statewide in Texas) — an angle emphasized in NPR and Texas media reporting ^{[4] [8]}.

5. Sources, scope and limitations

This analysis relies on biographical and historical summaries (Britannica, TSHA, and several encyclopedic entries) and on reporting about current Democratic Senate politics in Texas; those sources identify Ann Richards’ statewide wins in the 1980s/1990s and characterize the party’s long losing streak in statewide races since then ^{[1] [2] [5] [3]}. Available sources do not provide a comprehensive roll call of every statewide officeholder by party and gender after Richards; they do not explicitly list, for example, whether any lower-profile statewide elected positions (where applicable) were ever held by Democratic women after her — therefore “last” here is based on the clear, cited narrative that Richards was the most recent Democratic woman to occupy a major statewide executive office ^{[6] [2]}.

6. Alternative readings and what to watch next

Some readers might equate “statewide office” narrowly (governor, U.S. Senate) or broadly (including offices such as Railroad Commissioner, elected judges, or other statewide posts). Current reporting focuses on the symbolic importance of the U.S. Senate race and notes Democrats’ hopes to win a statewide seat for the first time in decades; campaign developments in the 2026 cycle (candidate filings, primaries, and general-election dynamics) will clarify whether a Democratic woman can break the streak ^{[3] [4]}.

7. Bottom line for the original query

Based on the sources reviewed, the last Democratic woman to hold prominent statewide elected office in Texas was Ann Richards; she won statewide elections beginning with state treasurer in 1982 and served as governor from 1991 to 1995 ^{[1] [2]}. Contemporary coverage of the 2026 Senate race frames that vacancy as the party’s best chance to put a Democrat — possibly a woman — back into statewide office for the first time since Richards’ era ^{[3] [4]}.