Joan Finney

Joan Finney
42ndGovernor of Kansas
In office January 14, 1991 – January 9, 1995
Lieutenant	Jim Francisco
Preceded by	Mike Hayden
Succeeded by	Bill Graves
33rdKansas State Treasurer
In office January 6, 1975 – January 14, 1991
Governor	Robert Frederick Bennett John W. Carlin Mike Hayden
Preceded by	Tom Van Sickle
Succeeded by	Sally Thompson
Personal details
Born	(1925-02-12)February 12, 1925 Topeka,Kansas,U.S.
Died	July 28, 2001(2001-07-28)(aged 76) Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
Political party	Republican(Before 1974) Democratic(1974–2001)
Spouse	Spencer Finney
Education	Washburn University(BA)

Joan Marie Finney(néeMcInroy;February 12, 1925 – July 28, 2001) was an American politician who served as the42nd governor of Kansasfrom 1991 to 1995. Prior to her tenure as governor, Finney served four terms as theKansas state treasurerfrom 1975 to 1991. Finney was the first woman to hold either office.

Early life

Finney was born Joan Marie McInroy inTopeka, Kansas.She was the daughter of Leonard and Mary Sands McInroy. Her father abandoned the family shortly after her birth.McInroy graduated fromhigh schoolinManhattan, Kansasin 1942.In 1957, she married Spencer Finney, Jr. The Finneys had three children: Sarah "Sally" Finney Timm, Richard Finney, and Mary Finney Holladay.In 1978, Finney graduated fromWashburn Universitywith a bachelor's degree in economic history.

Early political career

From 1953 to 1969, Finney served on the staff ofRepublicanU.S. SenatorFrank Carlson.From 1970 to 1972, she served as Commissioner of Elections forShawnee County, Kansas.In 1972, she was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican primary for a U.S. House seat inKansas's 2nd congressional district.

She also served as a special assistant to Topeka Mayor Bill McCormick from 1973 to 1974.

Afterswitching her political affiliation from Republican to Democrat,Finney served asKansas State Treasurerfrom 1975 to 1991. She was the first woman to hold that position.

Governorship

In the1990 Democratic primary for governor of Kansas,Finney upset former GovernorJohn W. Carlin.She then went on to defeat incumbent RepublicanMike Haydenin the general election, becoming the first woman in U.S. history to defeat an incumbent governor in a general election.

In addition to being the State of Kansas's first female governor, Finney was the first Roman Catholic governor of Kansas. She was known for her pro-Native American stances and was one of the fewanti-abortionDemocratic governors of her time.

Finney served only one term as governor, retiring after the1994 election.

Post-governorship

In 1996, Finney ran for United States Senate. She was defeated in the Democratic primary by Jill Docking,who gained 74% of the primary vote, and subsequently lost thegeneral electiontoSam Brownback.

Finney died in 2001 from complications ofliver canceratSt. Francis Hospitalin Topeka. She is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Topeka.

See also

• List of female governors in the United States

External links

• Joan FinneyatFind a Grave
• Publications concerning Kansas Governor Finney's administration available via the KGI Online Library
• AppearancesonC-SPAN