In 1998, almost 90 years after Arizona women were given the right to vote, five women were elected to serve in the state’s five most important government positions. On January 4, 1999, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor swore the “Fab Five” into the five highest elected offices in Arizona. It was a historic moment for Arizona and the nation; for the first time, women held all of the top elected positions in a state. “The five women—Gov. Jane Dee Hull, Secretary of State Betsey Bayless, state Attorney General Janet Napolitano, Treasurer Carol Springer, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Graham Keegan—collectively ran the state, a feat that had never been accomplished before and hasn’t happened again since,” according to The Copper Currier. While this achievement was certainly touted in the media, these elected officials from different political parties didn’t make a big deal about their gender while in office, though they did all focus on child welfare during their campaigns.
Governor Hull, a Republican, had already broken barriers when she was elected to the Arizona State House of Representatives and became its first ever female Speaker of the House. Hull became governor after her predecessor (John Fife Symington) was convicted of extortion and bank fraud and resigned from office. She was elected to office a year later and served as Arizona’s governor until 2003 when Janet Napolitano (another of the Fab Five) took her place. During her time as governor, Hull’s policies were considered to be more moderate than during her time at the state house. Education, health care, the economy, and preserving Arizona’s natural beauty were Hull’s top priorities as governor. Homeland security measures were enacted to ensure the safety of Arizonans. Students FIRST School Facilities funding program that Hull implemented worked toward equity for every student in Arizona. Health coverage was made available for nearly 136,000 children of the working poor thanks to the Governor’s KidsCare program. Having established a contract with Qwest Communications, under Governor Hull’s leadership, Arizona became one of the first states to ensure all public schools had Internet access. Trade issues with Mexican officials and other border governors were addressed at length by Governor Hull. During her free time, Hull enjoyed sailing on local reservoirs and she had a long devotion to the Navajo people having been a teacher on the reservation and raising her children there. Jane Dee Hull passed on April 16, 2020.
Betsy Bayless was appointed as Arizona Secretary of State in 1997, and won an election the following year, serving until 2003. Prior to her role as Secretary of State, she was a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. While she was Secretary of State, she created a statewide toll-free voter registration hotline and voter outreach program. The Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona awarded her its Voter Outreach Award. She was presented with the Citizens Award from the US Department of Interior for her work on Lake Pleasant. She tried a run for governor in 2003, but she did not win the primary election. After her time in office, Bayless worked as the chief executive officer of Maricopa County Integrated Health System where she was given credit for putting the hospital’s finances back in order and expanding care for Arizona residents.
The only Democrat among the Fab Five was Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano, but the group had an effective working relationship, as indicated by historical reports. Prior to taking on the role as Arizona’s attorney general, Napolitano was already well known. In 1991 she acted as attorney for Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court hearings. She was later appointed by President Bill Clinton to the position of United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. She won her first election to become Arizona Attorney General in 1998. Napolitano was engaged in consumer protection issues and worked to improve law enforcement, during her time as Arizona’s attorney general. Napolitano later served as governor of Arizona for two terms at the end of which she was the first woman to be appointed as appointed Secretary of Homeland Security. In this position, her efforts to prevent terrorist attacks, secure our borders, respond to natural disasters, and build domestic resiliency were significant. Among the initiatives she established to improve the experience of traveling for Americans were TSA Pre✓®, Global Entry, and pre-clearance. Under Napolitano’s leadership, the Homeland Security Department worked to identify threats before they departed for the U.S. The establishment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) can be traced to Napolitano’s tenure as head of Homeland Security, during which time evolving cyber threats were also prioritized. The longest-serving Secretary of Homeland Security to date, she was also the first woman to hold the position. Having served as the University of California President from 2013 to 2020, Janet Napolitano is currently a Professor of Public Policy at the Berkley School of Public Policy and Director of the new Center for Security in Politics.
Carol Springer, a Republican, was first elected in 1998 as state treasurer of Arizona. The first woman to oversee the treasurer’s office, she was touted for her fiscal expertise bringing Arizona into good financial standing and increasing our rainy day fund while in office. The Arizona Federation of Taxpayers regularly recognized her as a “friend of the taxpayer.” Springer also recognized the critical nature of water issues in Arizona and became an expert on the 1980 Groundwater Act. She was known for having an affable nature and a good sense of humor, laughing at the comparison between the Fab Five and the Spice Girls and being associated with “Baby Spice.” After completing her service as State Treasurer, she ran for governor unsuccessfully and was a member of the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors. Springer was known to have had colorful interests outside of the political sphere. According to her obituary, she piloted small-engine airplanes, was a member of the women’s professional bowling tour for 14 years, and was a competitive roller skater. Springer passed peacefully in 2018.
Before she served as Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Lisa Graham Keegan served in the Arizona House of Representatives for two terms (1991 to 1995). She was chair of the Education Committee during this time. Her focus on improving and reforming education, including support for student-centered funding, charter schools, the expansion of school choice, and emphasizing marketplace incentives are at the heart of Lisa Graham Keegan’s legacy. As Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, the state’s charter school programs grew. Test standards expanded under Keegan’s watch, and her enactment of Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) was contentious. AIMS standards dictated that students meet set goals for math, reading, writing, and science to graduate. Keegen responded to criticisms by taking the tests herself and making her passing results public.
#ArizonaFabFive #WomenInAZHistory #WomenInPolitics
Resources:
https://coppercourier.com/2022/07/29/arizona-women-leaders-fab-five/
https://azmemory.azlibrary.gov/nodes/view/243969
https://www.nga.org/governor/jane-dee-hull/
https://azsos.gov/about-office/secretaries-since-statehood/betsey-bayless
https://www.historicalleague.org/historymakers/betsey-bayless
https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/faculty/janet-napolitano
