Christine Todd Whitman (born 1947) managed to defeat her opponent, James Florio, the incumbent Governor of New Jersey, with very little political experience.

From the beginning, Whitman was perceived as a long shot for the office--a woman and a Republican was considered an awkward mix. She advocated sweeping tax cuts, as well as abortion rights. And, in the beginning of her campaign, her platform was very disorganized. However, Florio had so offended his constituents by raising taxes and reacting slowly to the plummeting economy in his state, that in the end Whitman won.

Whitman has definitely been characterized as a woman of privilege--a millionaire who made much of her money on Wall Street. She descended from a well-to-do family with strong ties to the Republican party. Whitman's husband also has ties to the Republican party--his grandfather was once governor of New York. Whitman's siblings have also been involved in...