Mary Louise Smith

Mary Louise Smith holds a special place in Republican Party history.  As the only woman to ever chair the Republican National Committee, Smith helped shepherd the Party through the difficult period between 1974 and 1977.  A native of Iowa, she was involved in local politics before being elected as the state’s national committeewoman in 1964.  As RNC Chairman, she became first woman in Party history to organize a presidential nominating convention.  As a committeewoman, she maintained a strong presence within the GOP until her retirement in 1984. 

Although she was occasionally at odds with many fellow Republicans on social issues, she shared with them a common belief in the principles of personal liberty and limited government.  She remained an active participant in party politics throughout her life, serving on the boards of a number of political organizations from the late 1980s until her death. Succumbing to cancer in 1997, she left behind a legacy as a trailblazer and a strong political leader and community activist.

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