The first woman to represent Ohio, Frances Bolton far exceeded her party’s initial plans for her. Bolton started her service after winning a special election in 1940 to take her deceased husband’s place. Initially, Bolton stated, it was assumed that her election “would be a graceful gesture which would do . . . no harm since they were sure I would get tired of politics in a few months and flit on to something else.” Instead, she was re-elected 13 times and became the first Foreign Affairs Committee member to travel to the Soviet Union and the first woman to lead a congressional delegation overseas, among other accomplishments.