US politician.

As a moderate Republican, Chase Smith was the first woman to serve in both houses. She was a US representative for Maine 1940-1949 and a US senator for Maine 1949-1973. Chase Smith was the first woman nominated for the presidency of the US. Margaret criticised McCarthyism in her 1950 speech, Declaration of Conscience. In 1943 she was appointed to the House Naval Affairs Committee and toured bases in the Pacific. She became known as the “Mother of the Waves” after introducing the bill to create that organization. Smith was always a strong supporter of women in the military and got legislation passed for their permanent status/ employment after WWII.