Frances Farenthold
Encyclopedia
Frances Tarlton Farenthold (born 1926), commonly referred to as Sissy Farenthold, is an American Democratic
politician, attorney and educator, who was the third woman whose name was put into nomination for Vice President of the United States
at a major party's nominating convention (the first was Lena Springs
, who was not a public official and whose 1924
nomination was a gesture of affection, and the second was India Edwards
in 1952, whose nomination was also a gesture of gratitude for her influence over Harry Truman). At the Democratic National Convention
in 1972
, she came in second to the presidential nominee's choice, U.S. Senator Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri
. She garnered more delegate votes (404.04) than then-U.S. Senator Mike Gravel
of Alaska
, Senator Birch Bayh
of Indiana
, and future U.S. President Jimmy Carter
of Georgia
, among others.
Farenthold served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives
from 1968 through 1972. In both 1972 and 1974, she unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Texas
, having been defeated both times by Dolph Briscoe
of Uvalde
, a more conservative Democrat. She later served as president of Wells College
in Aurora, New York
, from 1976-1980.
Her grandson, Blake Farenthold, a conservative Republican, defeated incumbent Democratic Congressman Solomon Ortiz by 799 votes in the November 2, 2010 election
to represent Texas's 27th congressional district
.
She serves on the Institute for Policy Studies
Board of Trustees.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician, attorney and educator, who was the third woman whose name was put into nomination for Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
at a major party's nominating convention (the first was Lena Springs
Lena Springs
Lena Jones Wade Springs was the first woman placed in nomination for the office of Vice President of the United States, at the 1924 Democratic National Convention....
, who was not a public official and whose 1924
1924 Democratic National Convention
The 1924 Democratic National Convention, also called the Klanbake, held at the Madison Square Garden in New York City from June 24 to July 9, took a record 103 ballots to nominate a presidential candidate. It was the longest continuously running convention in United States political history...
nomination was a gesture of affection, and the second was India Edwards
India Edwards
India Edwards was a United States Democratic politician and Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. She was an advocate for women in politics. Edwards died at the Fircrest Convalescent Hospital in Sebastopol; at the time of her death the 94-year-old lived in Greenbrae, California...
in 1952, whose nomination was also a gesture of gratitude for her influence over Harry Truman). At the Democratic National Convention
1972 Democratic National Convention
The 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida on July 10–13, 1972....
in 1972
United States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
, she came in second to the presidential nominee's choice, U.S. Senator Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. She garnered more delegate votes (404.04) than then-U.S. Senator Mike Gravel
Mike Gravel
Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and a former candidate in the 2008 presidential election....
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Senator Birch Bayh
Birch Bayh
Birch Evans Bayh II is a former United States Senator from Indiana, having served from 1963 to 1981. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in the 1976 election, but lost to Jimmy Carter. He is the father of former Indiana Governor and former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh.-Life...
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and future U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, among others.
Farenthold served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
from 1968 through 1972. In both 1972 and 1974, she unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
, having been defeated both times by Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
of Uvalde
Uvalde, Texas
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de...
, a more conservative Democrat. She later served as president of Wells College
Wells College
Wells College is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. Initially an all-women's institution, Wells became a co-ed college in Fall 2005....
in Aurora, New York
Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
Aurora is a village and college town in Cayuga County, in the Town of Ledyard, north of Ithaca, New York, United States. The village had a population of 720 at the 2000 census, of which more than 400 were college students....
, from 1976-1980.
Her grandson, Blake Farenthold, a conservative Republican, defeated incumbent Democratic Congressman Solomon Ortiz by 799 votes in the November 2, 2010 election
United States House of Representatives elections, 2010
The 2010 United States House of Representatives elections, also known as the 2010 midterm elections, were held on November 2, 2010, at the midpoint of President Barack Obama's first term in office. Voters of the 50 U.S. states chose 435 U.S. Representatives. Voters of the U.S...
to represent Texas's 27th congressional district
Texas's 27th congressional district
Texas District 27 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves a strip in deep south Texas on the Gulf Coast consisting of Corpus Christi and Brownsville...
.
She serves on the Institute for Policy Studies
Institute for Policy Studies
Institute for Policy Studies is a left-wing think tank based in Washington, D.C..It has been directed by John Cavanagh since 1998- History :...
Board of Trustees.