The Role of Political Spouses
And why they haven’t changed as much as you might think
For as long as men have wielded power, women have facilitated their reigns. To be sure, much has changed since 1789 when Martha Washington hosted drawing rooms as part of the Republican Court. But there are also surprising similarities.
“The Republican Court was comprised of the governing officials and elite families in New York City and Pennsylvania. Martha Washington’s Friday evening drawing rooms were the focal point of Republican Court festivities, but Second Lady Abigail Adams and the Cabinet secretaries’ wives also hosted weekly gatherings. The presence of women made these events semiprivate and nonpolitical. Technically, women weren’t supposed to engage in politics, so their presence precluded political negotiations. Or that was the theory anyway. In reality, 18th-century women shared political opinions as freely as 21st-century women.
The presence of women, and the semiprivate designation of these events, provided an opportunity to government officials — one that Washington was quick to utilize. Because Martha was the official host, George attended the drawing rooms as a private citizen. Accordingly, he could speak to congressmen about legislation and other administrative measures without being accused of improperly interfering in legislative affairs. Other attendees arranged marriages, lobbied for appointments and tried to secure positions for their friends and family. In both the Washington and Adams administrations, the Republican Court social events proved to be a critical venue for behind-the-scenes political negotiations, networking and coalition building.
By the 1820s, presidential candidates had developed a complicated relationship with elections. The candidates themselves were not supposed to campaign openly for the position. They were expected, however, to build relationships with delegates, newspaper editors and political operators to campaign on their behalf. A candidate’s wife — and their party-hosting skills in particular — could make or break a campaign. Dolley Madison and Louisa Catherine Adams exemplified the power of campaign wives. Their legendary soirees included all of the leading figures in Washington, D.C., and proved to be the social events of the season. The food, décor and entertainment cost a fortune and were covered in exquisite detail in the local newspapers. These events helped cultivate support for their husband’s election campaigns and provided space for critical backroom deals.”
Read my full article on Governing: Political Spouses Have Evolved Since Martha Washington