ma ferguson served two terms as texas governor in the 1920s and the 1930s.gazine reported at the time that the ku klux klan was against her. she was anti-klan, and they had their own candidate in the race, but the klan was unwilling to attack her directly because of her gender, so they attacked her husband instead, calling him a buzard, a yeller dog, an old skunk and a he viper. i love the idea that a viper is a she unless you say otherwise. a he-viper. after ma ferguson, it took another 50 years for texas to elect another woman governor, and that, of course, was the great ann richards in 1990. she had a very bright moment in the national spotlight when as texas state treasurer, she was given the keynote speaking slot at the 1988 democratic convention. >> good evening, ladies and gentlemen. buenas noches mi amigos. i'm delighted to be here with you this evening because after listening to george bush all these years, i figured you needed to know what a real texas accent sounds like. 12 years ago barbara jordan, another texas woman, barbara made the keynote ad