Ralph G. Wright

Ralph G. Wright (June 10, 1935 – June 17, 2026) was an American teacher and politician who served as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.

Early life and education Ralph George Wright was born in Arlington, Massachusetts on June 10, 1935, a son of Ralph H. Wright and Mary E. Wright. He was raised in Lexington and Somerville and left Somerville High School in 1953 to join the United States Marine Corps. (After completing his bachelor's and master's degrees, Wright received his GED.)

After his military service, Wright worked for the Raytheon Corporation in Newton, Massachusetts while attending Boston University, and he graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1963, he received a Master of Education degree from Framingham State Teachers College (now Framingham State University).

A Democrat, Wright served in local offices in Bennington during the 1960s and 1970s, including selectman.

In 1985 Wright was elected Speaker of the House, a victory remarkable for the fact that Republicans were in the majority.

Serving as Speaker for 10 years, Wright's candidate recruiting and campaign support work, carried out in conjunction with other Democrats including Representative Paul N. Poirier, who became the House majority leader, saw Democrats become the majority party in the House during Wright's final term.

Wright was defeated for reelection to the House in the Republican sweep of 1994.

At 10 years, Ralph Wright's term remains the longest of any Vermont Speaker of the House.

Later life and death After leaving the Vermont House, Wright worked briefly as a lobbyist before accepting a position as Special Assistant to the United States Secretary of Education, based in the Boston, Massachusetts regional office.

Wright also authored a memoir, 1996's All Politics Is Personal.

In 2000 Wright retired and relocated to Florida. He authored another book, 2005's Inside the Statehouse: Lessons From the Speaker and was an adjunct professor at Lake-Sumter State College. Wright died in Lady Lake, Florida on June 17, 2026, at the age of 91.