List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States

Current ethnic minority governors
States that have had ethnic minority governors, with respect to that state's/territory's ethnic demographics

This is a list of minority governors and lieutenant state governors in the United States. In the United States, an ethnic minority is anyone who has at least one parent who is not of non-Hispanic white descent (such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic and Latino Americans, or Native Americans). Ethnic minorities currently constitute around 38% of the total population. Lieutenant governor-equivalent roles (positions next in the line of succession absent an office of the lieutenant governor, such as secretary of state or senate president) are not currently included.

List of ethnic-minority Governors

  Denotes incumbent Governor
  • Italics denotes acting Governor
Picture Name Ethnicity Party State Term start Term end Notes
Pinckney Pinchback
(1837–1921)		 African American Republican Louisiana December 9, 1872 January 13, 1873 Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Term ended.
Romualdo Pacheco[1]
(1831–1899)		 Mexican American Republican California February 27, 1875 December 9, 1875 Elevated from Lieutenant Governor.
Term ended.
Ezequiel De Baca[2]
(1864–1917)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 3, 1917 February 18, 1917 Died in office
Octaviano Larrazolo[3]
(1859–1930)		 Mexican American Republican New Mexico January 1, 1919 January 1, 1921 Lost renomination
George Ariyoshi
(born 1926)		 Japanese American Democratic Hawaii October 17, 1973 December 2, 1986 Elevated to Acting Governor from Lieutenant Governor until elected in his own right from December 2, 1974.
Term limited.
Jerry Apodaca
(born 1934)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1975 January 1, 1979 Term limited
Raúl Castro[4]
(1916–2015)		 Mexican American Democratic Arizona January 6, 1975 October 20, 1977 Resigned to become United States Ambassador to Argentina
Victor G. Atiyeh
(1923–2014)		 Syrian American Republican Oregon January 8, 1979 January 12, 1987 Term Limited
Toney Anaya[5]
(born 1941)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1983 January 1, 1987 Term limited
John Sununu[6]
(born 1939)		 Palestinian American Republican New Hampshire January 6, 1983 January 4, 1989 Retired
John Waihee[7]
(born 1946)		 Native Hawaiian Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1986 December 2, 1994 Term limited
Bob Martinez[8]
(born 1934)		 Spanish American Republican Florida January 6, 1987 January 8, 1991 Lost reelection
Douglas Wilder[9]
(born 1931)		 African American Democratic Virginia January 13, 1990 January 15, 1994 Term limited
Ben Cayetano[7]
(born 1939)		 Filipino American Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1994 December 2, 2002 Term limited
Gary Locke[10]
(born 1950)		 Chinese American Democratic Washington January 15, 1997 January 12, 2005 Retired
Bill Richardson[11]
(born 1947)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 2003 January 1, 2011 Term limited
Mitch Daniels[12]
(born 1949)		 Syrian American Republican Indiana January 10, 2005 January 14, 2013 Term limited
Deval Patrick
(born 1956)		 African American Democratic Massachusetts January 4, 2007 January 8, 2015 Retired
Bobby Jindal[13]
(born 1971)		 Indian American Republican Louisiana January 14, 2008 January 11, 2016 Term limited
David Paterson
(born 1954)		 African American Democratic New York March 17, 2008 December 31, 2010 Elevated to office from Lieutenant Governor.
Retired
Susana Martinez
(born 1959)		 Mexican American Republican New Mexico January 1, 2011 present
Brian Sandoval
(born 1963)		 Mexican American Republican Nevada January 3, 2011 present
Nikki Haley
(born 1972)		 Indian American Republican South Carolina January 12, 2011 January 24, 2017 Resigned to become to United States Ambassador to the United Nations
David Ige
(born 1957)		 Okinawan American Democratic Hawaii December 1, 2014 present
Chris Sununu
(born 1974)		 Palestinian American Republican New Hampshire January 5, 2017 present

Territorial governors

Several governors of U.S. territories have been ethnic minorities. Many of these officials were appointed before elections were instituted in these jurisdictions. This list includes Mayors of the District of Columbia, who is the chief executive of that jurisdiction, and Presidents of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, which was the transitional executive of the Philippine Commonwealth before it gained full independence from the United States.

In each of the five US territories, non-white ethnic groups make up large majorities: Puerto Rican Hispanic Americans in Puerto Rico, African Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Chamorros in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and Samoans in American Samoa. Elected governors and some appointed governors in these territories that have come from these majority ethnic groups are not listed here; for more details see List of governors of Puerto Rico, List of Governors of the United States Virgin Islands, List of Governors of Guam, List of Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands, and List of governors of American Samoa.

  Denotes incumbent Governor
  • Italics denotes acting Governor
Portrait Name Ethnicity Party Territory Term start Term end Notes
Miguel Otero
(1859–1944)		 Mexican American Republican New Mexico July 14, 1897 January 22, 1906 Appointment ended
Frank Portusach
(1864–1919)		 Spanish American Independent Guam June 22, 1898 December 12, 1898 Deposed[14]
William Coe Samoan Independent Guam April 20, 1899 May 9, 1899 Appointment ended
Manuel Quezon
(1878–1944)		 Spanish Filipino/Tagalog/Mestizo Nacionalista Philippines November 15, 1935 August 1, 1944 Died in office
Sergio Osmeña
(1878–1961)		 Filipino Chinese/Cebuano Nacionalista Philippines August 1, 1944 May 28, 1946 Elevated from Vice President
Lost election to full term
Manuel Roxas
(1892–1948)		 Hiligaynon Liberal Philippines May 28, 1946 July 4, 1946 Became an independent sovereign state
Morris de Castro
(1902–1966)		 Panamanian American Democratic U.S. Virgin Islands October 21, 1949 April 9, 1954 Elevated to Acting Governor from Secretary until appointed in his own right from March 4, 1950
Resigned appointment
Walter Washington
(1915–2003)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia November 7, 1967 January 2, 1979 Appointed as Mayor-Commissioner before being elected in his own right from January 2, 1975
Lost renomination
Juan Luis
(1940–2011)		 Puerto Rican Independent Citizens Movement (1978–1979) U.S. Virgin Islands January 2, 1978 January 5, 1987 Elevated to Governor from Lieutenant Governor.
Later elected in his own right.
Term limited
Independent (1979–1987)
Marion Barry
(1936–2014)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia January 2, 1979 January 2, 1991 Retired
January 2, 1995 January 2, 1999 Retired
Sharon Pratt
(born 1944)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia January 2, 1991 January 2, 1995 Lost renomination
Anthony Williams
(born 1951)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia January 2, 1999 January 2, 2007 Retired
Benigno Fitial
(born 1945)		 Carolinian Covenant (2006–2011) Northern Mariana Islands January 9, 2006 February 20, 2013 Impeached
Republican (2011–2013)
Adrian Fenty
(born 1970)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia January 2, 2007 January 2, 2011 Lost renomination
Vincent Gray
(born 1942)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia January 2, 2011 January 2, 2015 Lost renomination
Muriel Bowser
(born 1972)		 African American Democratic District of Columbia January 2, 2015 present

List of ethnic-minority Lieutenant Governors

  Denotes incumbent lieutenant governor
  • Italics denotes acting lieutenant governor
Picture Name Ethnicity Party State Term start Term end Notes
Pablo de la Guerra
(1819–1874)		 Mexican American Democratic California January 7, 1861 January 10, 1862 Retired
Oscar Dunn
(1826–1871)		 African American Republican Louisiana June 27, 1868 November 22, 1871 Died
Alonzo Ransier[15]
(1834–1882)		 African American Republican South Carolina December 3, 1870 December 7, 1872 Retired to run successfully for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district
Pinckney Pinchback
(1837–1921)		 African American Republican Louisiana December 6, 1871 December 9, 1872 Elevated to Governor
Romualdo Pacheco[16]
(1831–1899)		 Mexican American Republican California December 8, 1871 February 27, 1875 Elevated to Governor
Richard Gleaves
(1819–1907)		 African American Republican South Carolina December 7, 1872 December 14, 1876 Lost reelection
Caesar Antoine
(1836–1921)		 African American Republican Louisiana May 22, 1873 April 24, 1877 Lost reelection
Albert Estopinal[17]
(1845–1919)		 Spanish American Democratic Louisiana May 8, 1900 May 10, 1904 Retired
Ezequiel De Baca
(1864–1917)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 6, 1912 January 1, 1917 Retired to run successfully for Governor
José Baca Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1923 May 24, 1924 Died
Louis de Baca Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1935 January 1, 1937 Retired
Ceferino Quintana Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1941 January 1, 1943 Retired
Joseph Montoya[18]
(1915–1978)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1947 January 1, 1951 Lost reelection
January 1, 1955 April 9, 1957 Retired to run successfully for New Mexico's at-large congressional district
Tibo Chávez Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1951 January 1, 1955 Lost reelection
James Kealoha
(1908–1983)		 Native Hawaiian
Chinese American		 Republican Hawaii August 21, 1959 December 2, 1962 Retired to run unsuccessfully for the nomination to Governor
William Richardson
(1919–2010)		 Native Hawaiian
Chinese American		 Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1962 December 2, 1966 Resigned to become Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court
George Ariyoshi
(born 1926)		 Japanese American Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1970 December 2, 1974 Served as Acting Governor
Retired to run successfully for Governor
Roberto Mondragón
(born 1940)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1971 January 1, 1975 Retired
January 1, 1979 January 1, 1983 Retired
Nelson Doi
(1922–2015)		 Japanese American Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1974 December 2, 1978 Retired to run unsuccessfully for nomination to Mayor of Honolulu
Mervyn Dymally[19]
(1926–2012)		 African American, Indian American Democratic California January 6, 1975 January 8, 1979 Lost reelection
George Brown
(1926–2006)		 African American Democratic Colorado January 14, 1975 January 10, 1979 Retired
Jean King
(1925–2013)		 Japanese American Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1978 December 2, 1982 Retired to run unsuccessfully for nomination to Governor
Mike Curb
(born 1944)		 Mexican American Republican California January 8, 1979 January 3, 1983 Retired to run unsuccessfully for nomination to Governor
John Waihee
(born 1946)		 Native Hawaiian Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1982 December 2, 1986 Retired to run successfully for Governor
Shien Woo
(born 1937)		 Chinese American Democratic Delaware January 15, 1985 January 20, 1989 Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator of Delaware
Douglas Wilder
(born 1931)		 African American Democratic Virginia January 18, 1986 January 12, 1990 Retired to run successfully for Governor
Ben Cayetano
(born 1939)		 Filipino American Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1986 December 2, 1994 Retired to run successfully for Governor
Casey Luna
(born 1931)		 Mexican American Democratic New Mexico January 1, 1991 January 1, 1995 Retired to run unsuccessfully for nomination to Governor
Mazie Hirono[20]
(born 1947)		 Japanese American Democratic Hawaii December 2, 1994 December 2, 2002 Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor
Cruz Bustamante
(born 1953)		 Mexican American Democratic California January 4, 1999 January 8, 2007 Retired to run unsuccessfully for California Insurance Commissioner
Joe Rogers
(1964–2013)		 African American Republican Colorado January 12, 1999 January 14, 2003 Retired
Loren Leman
(born 1950)		 Native Alaskan Republican Alaska December 2, 2002 December 4, 2006 Retired
Duke Aiona
(born 1955)		 Native Hawaiian
Chinese American		 Republican Hawaii December 4, 2002 December 6, 2010 Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor
Jennette Bradley
(born 1952)		 African American Republican Ohio January 13, 2003 January 5, 2005 Resigned to become Ohio Treasurer
Michael Steele[21]
(born 1958)		 African American Republican Maryland January 15, 2003 January 17, 2007 Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator of Maryland
David Paterson
(born 1954)		 African American Democratic New York January 1, 2007 March 17, 2008 Elevated to Governor
Anthony Brown
(born 1961)		 African American Democratic Maryland January 17, 2007 January 21, 2015 Retired to run unsuccessfully for Governor
Malcolm Smith
(born 1956)		 African American Democratic New York January 7, 2009 June 8, 2009 Resigned
Pedro Espada Jr.
(born 1953)		 Puerto Rican American Democratic New York June 8, 2009 July 8, 2009 Resigned
Mona Pasquil
(born 1962)		 Filipino American Democratic California November 4, 2009 April 27, 2010 Retired
Abel Maldonado
(born 1967)		 Mexican American Republican California April 27, 2010 January 10, 2011 Lost reelection
John Sanchez
(born 1963)		 Mexican American Republican New Mexico January 1, 2011 present
Jennifer Carroll
(born 1959)		 African American Republican Florida January 4, 2011 March 12, 2013 Resigned
Joe García
(born 1957)		 Mexican American Democratic Colorado January 11, 2011 May 12, 2016 Resigned
Shan Tsutsui
(born 1971)		 Japanese American Democratic Hawaii December 27, 2012 January 31, 2018 Resigned
Carlos López-Cantera
(born 1973)		 Cuban American Republican Florida February 3, 2014 present
Byron Mallott
(born 1943)		 Native Alaskan (Tlingit) Democratic Alaska December 1, 2014 present
Evelyn Sanguinetti
(born 1970)		 Cuban American
Ecuadorian American		 Republican Illinois January 12, 2015 present
Boyd Rutherford
(born 1957)		 African American Republican Maryland January 21, 2015 present
Jenean Hampton
(born 1958)		 African American Republican Kentucky December 8, 2015 present
Cyrus Habib
(born 1981)		 Iranian American Democratic Washington January 11, 2017 present
Justin Fairfax
(born 1979)		 African American Democratic Virginia January 13, 2018 present
Sheila Oliver
(born 1952)		 African American Democratic New Jersey January 16, 2018 present
Doug Chin
(born 1971)		 Chinese American Democratic Hawaii February 2, 2018 present

Territorial lieutenant governors

In each of the five US territories, non-white ethnic groups make up large majorities: Puerto Rican Hispanic Americans in Puerto Rico, African Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Chamorros in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and Samoans in American Samoa. Elected governors and some appointed governors in these territories that have come from these majority ethnic groups are not listed here; for more details see List of lieutenant governors of Puerto Rico, Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, Lieutenant Governor of Guam, Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa.

Portrait Name Ethnicity Party State Term start Term end Notes
Sergio Osmeña
(1878–1961)		 Visayan Nacionalista Philippines November 15, 1935 August 1, 1944 Elevated to President
Elpidio Quirino[22]
(1890–1956)		 Ilocano Liberal Philippines May 28, 1946 July 4, 1946 Became an independent sovereign state
Morris de Castro
(1902–1966)		 Panamanian American Democratic U.S. Virgin Islands 1945 March 4, 1950 Elevated to Acting Governor from October 21, 1949
Later appointed in his own right
Kurt Moylan
(born 1939)		 Native Hawaiian
Chinese American		 Republican Guam July 20, 1969 January 6, 1975 Appointed Secretary before being elected Lieutenant Governor in his own right from January 4, 1971
Lost reelection
Kaleo Moylan
(born 1966)		 Native Hawaiian
Chinese American		 Republican Guam January 6, 2003 January 1, 2007 Retired to run unsuccessfully for nomination to Governor

See also

References

  1. ↑ Previously served as California Treasurer and U.S. Representative from California's 4th congressional district.
  2. ↑ Previously served as Lieutenant Governor.
  3. ↑ Previously served as U.S. Senator from New Mexico.
  4. ↑ Previously served as United States Ambassador to Bolivia and United States Ambassador to El Salvador and later served as United States Ambassador to Argentina.
  5. ↑ Previously served as New Mexico Attorney General.
  6. ↑ Later served as White House Chief of Staff.
  7. 1 2 Previously served as Lieutenant Governor.
  8. ↑ Later served as Director of the National Drug Control Policy.
  9. ↑ Previously served as Lieutenant Governor.
  10. ↑ Later served as United States Secretary of Commerce and United States Ambassador to China.
  11. ↑ Previously served as United States Secretary of Energy, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and U.S. Representative from New Mexico's 3rd congressional district.
  12. ↑ Previously served as Director of Office of Management and Budget.
  13. ↑ Previously served as U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 1st congressional district.
  14. ↑ A Spanish Filipino, José Sisto, served from December 12, 1898 – February 1, 1899 in the Spanish government's name, despite tacit acknowledgment by the Americans until the 1898 Treaty of Paris.
  15. ↑ Later served as U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 2nd congressional district.
  16. ↑ Previously served as California Treasurer and later served as U.S. Representative from California's 4th congressional district.
  17. ↑ Later served as U.S. Representative from Louisiana's 1st congressional district.
  18. ↑ Later served as U.S. Representative from New Mexico's at-large congressional district and U.S. Senator from New Mexico.
  19. ↑ Later served as U.S. Representative from California's 31st congressional district.
  20. ↑ Later served as U.S. Senator from Hawaii.
  21. ↑ Later served as Chair of the Republican National Committee.
  22. ↑ Later served as President post-independence.
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