Individual Details

Miscellaneous

After her husband was impeached during his second trem as governor he was not able to get his name on the ballot for the 1924 election. Miriam entered the governor's race instead. Her campaign slogan "two governors for the price of one" indicated that her husband would still have a say in governing the state. They were known as Ma and Pa Ferguson. She because of her initials for Miriam Amanda and her devotion to her family and he was Pa since he was her husband.
Her campaign promised tax cuts, condemnation of the Ku Klux Klan, and was against prohibition of alcohol. She defeated the Republican nominee, George C. Butte, and became only the second state governor in the U. S. and the first for the state of Texas.
Her administration was controversial with accusations of bribes in exchange for pardons and paroles and kickback deals for state projects given to friends and supporters. An effort to impeach her was unsuccessful but she lost a reelection campaign in 1926 to Daniel James Moody.
She sought nomination for governor again in 1930 but was defeated for her party's nomination by Ross Sterling.
In 1932 she became the Democratic nominee defeating Ross Sterling and went on to defeat Orville Bullington to be elected governor for her second term. This term was more successful and less controversial. She was able to control state spending, advocated a sales tax and a corporate income tax, but these tax proposals did not pass in the legislature. She did continue liberally dispensing pardons and paroles.
She did not seek office in 1934,1936, or 1938 but in 1940 she decided to try again for office. She was not successful in obtaining the nomination for governor and W. Lee O'Daniel was nominated instead.
She retired from politics in 1944 after her husband's death.

Death

She died of heart failure.

Burial

She was buried along side her husband at the State Cemetery in Austin, TX.

Miscellaneous

She attended Salado College and Baylor Female College at Belton, TX.