Clyde Smith

At the Republican National Convention this week, most of the buzz was over Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska), the first woman to be named as a Republican vice presidential candidate.

In the Maine delegation, this gave many a reason to remember former Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman to be nominated for President on the floor of a convention.

In 1964, Smith placed fifth of nine candidates in the initial round of balloting at the Republican National Convention in 1964, with 27 of 1,308 votes. She refused to drop out for the second round of balloting, so Barry Goldwater’s nomination was not unanimous.