In the United States, the first spouse is the term used to refer to the spouse of a chief executive—that is, of the spouse of the president of the United States (the first lady of the United States and the first gentleman of the United States) and the spouses of the governors of the 50 U.S. states and U.S. territories (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands) and the spouse of the mayor of the District of Columbia. (The spouses of many mayors are often called the "first lady" or "first gentleman" of the city as well, and the use of the terms sometimes extends even to the spouses of college presidents).

Since 1985, the National Governors Association has encouraged state first ladies and gentlemen to pursue their own, distinct causes and public agendas.[1] The public role of the first spouse is traditionally ceremonial. Like the first ladies of the United States, state and territorial first spouses are not elected and earn no government salary. However, traditionally first spouses also champion important causes either nationally or within their individual states or territories,[2] such as charitable and humanitarian work. First spouses are often seen as high-profile individuals who can direct public awareness towards a particular cause or campaign.[2] For example, the nation's first spouses launched a nationwide national breast cancer awareness campaign in conjunction with the National Governors Association in 1994.[2] In collaboration with the breast cancer initiative, some first spouses participated in media campaigns, public relations, chaired statewide breast cancer awareness committees, and even spearheaded the creation of a specific women's departments within state health departments.[2] Diverse initiatives championed by individual current first spouses have included advocacy against drunk driving,[3] heart disease in women,[4] the Special Olympics, and development assistance projects in Rwanda.[5]

Most first spouses have pursued their own careers before entering the public arena when their husbands or wives assumed the governor's mansion. For example, Lou Rell, former first gentleman of Connecticut, is a former naval pilot and commercial airline pilot with TWA.[6]

Three states, Alabama, Maine and Massachusetts along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, do not have a first lady or first gentleman.

Current first spouses

United States

Current First Lady President Past First Spouse since
Jill Biden Joe Biden List January 20, 2021
Current Second Gentleman Vice President Past Second Spouse since
Doug Emhoff Kamala Harris List January 20, 2021

States

State Current First Lady or First Gentleman Governor Past First Spouse since
 Alabama Divorced Kay Ivey List
 Alaska Rose Dunleavy Mike Dunleavy List December 3, 2018
 Arizona Patrick Goodman Katie Hobbs List January 2, 2023
 Arkansas Bryan Sanders Sarah Huckabee Sanders List January 10, 2023
 California Jennifer Siebel Newsom[7] Gavin Newsom List January 7, 2019
 Colorado Marlon Reis[8] Jared Polis List January 8, 2019[lower-alpha 1]
 Connecticut Ann Lamont Ned Lamont List January 9, 2019
 Delaware Tracey Carney John Carney List January 17, 2017
 Florida Casey DeSantis Ron DeSantis List January 8, 2019
 Georgia Marty Kemp Brian Kemp List January 14, 2019
 Hawaii Jaime Ushiroda[9] Josh Green List December 5, 2022
 Idaho Teresa Little Brad Little List January 7, 2019
 Illinois Mary Pritzker J. B. Pritzker List January 14, 2019
 Indiana Janet Holcomb Eric Holcomb List January 9, 2017
 Iowa Kevin Reynolds Kim Reynolds List May 24, 2017
 Kansas Ted Daughety Laura Kelly List January 14, 2019
 Kentucky Britainy Beshear Andy Beshear List December 10, 2019
 Louisiana Sharon LeBlanc Jeff Landry List January 8, 2024
 Maine Widowed Janet Mills List
 Maryland Dawn Moore Wes Moore List January 18, 2023
 Massachusetts Never married Maura Healey List
 Michigan Marc Mallory Gretchen Whitmer List January 1, 2019
 Minnesota Gwen Walz Tim Walz List January 7, 2019
 Mississippi Elee Williams Tate Reeves List January 14, 2020
 Missouri Teresa Parson Mike Parson List June 1, 2018
 Montana Susan Gianforte Greg Gianforte List January 4, 2021
 Nebraska Suzanne Pillen Jim Pillen List January 5, 2023
 Nevada Donna Lombardo Joe Lombardo List January 2, 2023
 New Hampshire Valerie Sununu Chris Sununu List January 5, 2017
 New Jersey Tammy Murphy Phil Murphy List January 16, 2018
 New Mexico Manuel Cordova Michelle Lujan Grisham List May 21, 2022
 New York Bill Hochul Kathy Hochul List August 24, 2021
 North Carolina Kristin Cooper Roy Cooper List January 1, 2017
 North Dakota Kathryn Burgum[10] Doug Burgum List December 15, 2016
 Ohio Frances DeWine Mike DeWine List January 14, 2019
 Oklahoma Sarah Hazen Stitt Kevin Stitt List January 14, 2019
 Oregon Aimee Wilson Tina Kotek List January 9, 2023
 Pennsylvania Lori Shapiro Josh Shapiro List January 17, 2023
 Rhode Island Susan McKee Dan McKee List March 2, 2021
 South Carolina Peggy McMaster Henry McMaster List January 24, 2017
 South Dakota Bryon Noem Kristi Noem List January 5, 2019
 Tennessee Maria Lee Bill Lee List January 19, 2019
 Texas Cecilia Phalen Abbott Greg Abbott List January 20, 2015
 Utah Abby Palmer Spencer Cox List January 4, 2021
 Vermont Diana Scott Phil Scott List January 5, 2017
 Virginia Suzanne Youngkin Glenn Youngkin List January 15, 2022
 Washington Trudi Inslee Jay Inslee List January 16, 2013
 West Virginia Cathy Justice Jim Justice List January 16, 2017
 Wisconsin Kathy Evers Tony Evers List January 7, 2019
 Wyoming Jennie Muir Mark Gordon List January 7, 2019

Territories

Territory Current First Lady or First Gentleman Governor Past First Spouse since
 American Samoa Ella Mauga Lemanu Peleti Mauga List January 3, 2021
 District of Columbia Never married Muriel Bowser (Mayor) List
 Guam Jeffrey Cook Lou Leon Guerrero List January 7, 2019
 Northern Mariana Islands Wella Sablan Palacios Arnold Palacios List January 9, 2023
 Puerto Rico Divorced Pedro Pierluisi List
 U.S. Virgin Islands Yolanda Bryan Albert Bryan List January 7, 2019

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Reis and Polis were not legally married when Polis assumed office and was the de facto first gentleman. The couple married on September 15, 2021, and Reis became the de jure first gentleman.

References

  1. ↑ Miller, John (2006-10-27). "Beauty queen, civil rights marcher could be first lady". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved 2015-05-23.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "More About Governors' Spouses: A Tradition of Helping Others" (PDF). National Governors Association. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  3. ↑ "First Lady Maryann Tulafono appeals to the general public". Government of American Samoa. Archived from the original on November 27, 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  4. ↑ "Learn More about First Lady Cheri Daniels". State of Indiana. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  5. ↑ "Rwanda Project: Who We Are: Cecile de Jongh - Vice President and Co-Founder". Rwanda Project USVI. Archived from the original on 2009-07-25. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  6. ↑ Leigh Cowen, Alison (2004-06-22). "Connecticut's Governor steps down: A New Leader Carrying Hope -- M. Jodi Rell". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  7. ↑ Jennifer Siebel Newsom will be California’s ‘first partner.’ Her agenda is cultural change. The Los Angeles Times. 24 November 2018. "Now she’ll take on her newest political role: 'first partner,' a term she prefers over 'first lady' — she sees it as more inclusive."
  8. ↑ How should we refer to Governor-elect Jared Polis’ longtime partner? The Denver Post. 8 November 2018. Reis and Polis were not legally married when Polis assumed office in January 2019, but Polis' campaign confirmed that Reis would use the title of first gentleman. Reis and Polis married in September 2021, making Reis the de jure first gentleman.
  9. ↑ https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/11/lee-cataluna-hawaiis-next-first-lady-brings-career-experience-and-life-lessons-to-the-role/
  10. ↑ "First Lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum". North Dakota Office of the Governor. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
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