Richards, Ann (1933–2006)

US Democrat politician, governor of Texas 1991–95. She came to national attention when she made rousing speeches at the Democratic National Conventions of 1988 and 1992, to elect presidential candidates. She was a county commissioner 1977–82 and state treasurer 1983–91. She was Texas's first female governor since ‘Ma’ Ferguson (1933–35).

Born in Lakeview, Texas, she taught in a junior high school 1955–57 and managed the campaign of Sarah Weddington (the lawyer who won the Roe v. Wade case) in 1972.

In 1988, she said memorably of the wealthy Republican candidate, George H W Bush, ‘He was born with a silver foot in his mouth’, but was unexpectedly defeated in the 1994 governorship election in Texas by his son, George W Bush.