Born into politics and privilege as the daughter of Ohio Senator and kingmaker Mark Hanna, Ruth Hanna McCormick spent years as her father’s assistant and fellow campaigner. In the late 1920s she forged a personal political machine, a network of Illinois Republican women's clubs potent enough to propel her into Congress. "I don't want to be appointed to anything," McCormick said when asked if she would accept a prominent diplomatic or government post. "That wouldn't appeal to me. I want to be elected in a fair fight on a clean–cut issue."
