As lieutenant governor, Swift found herself a focus of controversy after revelations that she used state workers to baby-sit for her child and caught a ride to her western Massachusetts home on a state police helicopter. After enduring a week of criticism, she issued a public apology on Jan. 12, 2000.

Bigger challenges lay ahead. In April 2001, she became the first woman governor of the state, taking over from Paul Cellucci, who left the office to become the US ambassador to Canada.