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View Full Version : The Widow's Succession.....



MMC
10-09-2011, 08:09 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widow%27s_succession

Widow's succession was a political practice prominent in some countries in the early part of the 19th century, by which a politician who died in office was succeeded by his widow, either through election or direct appointment to the seat.

In earlier years, women who held office through widow's succession rarely became prominent as politicians in their own right, but were regarded merely as placeholders whose primary role was to retain a seat and a vote for the party rather than risk a protracted fight for the nomination between elections.

The practice was also sometimes seen as a way to provide the woman with financial support due to the loss of her family's primary income.

Mae Ella Nolan was the first woman elected to her husband's seat in Congress.

As of 2004, 36 widows have won their husbands' seats in the House, and 8 in the Senate. Current examples are Representatives Mary Bono Mack (widow of Sonny Bono) and Lois Capps and Doris Matsui, all of California, and Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri.....snip~


Should the US Constitution and or Government Stop the practice of the Widow's Succession? We even continued it in 2004. Today we can hold a special election. So why was this not done with those in 2004?

If you thought that this is a missed hiccup with our Founding Fathers. It gets worse. How about a Daughter being elected to her fathers seat? The third woman elected to Congress, Winnifred Huck, was similarly elected to her father's seat. >:(

Conley
10-09-2011, 11:17 AM
I agree that the rule should be thrown out. There's no reason for it. Hold a special election.

I wonder when we'll see a husband take his wife's seat? Has that ever happened?

MMC
10-09-2011, 02:48 PM
I agree that the rule should be thrown out. There's no reason for it. Hold a special election.

I wonder when we'll see a husband take his wife's seat? Has that ever happened?


Good question there. I did not say anything about a guy taking his wife's seat. I would think as it stand now they could. But I think the practice should be stopped and that there should be no Appointments.