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Power and Influence: Governors of Texas

Explore the eligibility requirements, powers, and removal processes for Texas governors, as well as their use of formal and informal powers to advance agendas. Assess the strength of the Texas governor and proposals to modify gubernatorial power.

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Power and Influence: Governors of Texas

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  1. Chapter 8 Governors of Texas

  2. Learning Objectives 8.1 Identify the eligibility requirements, term, succession process, and removal process for Texas governors 8.2 Analyze how governors use their formal powers 8.3 Evaluate the governors’ use of informal powers by the Texas governor to advance agendas 8.4 Assess the strength of the Texas governor and proposals to modify gubernatorial power

  3. Rules of the Office • Eligibility • Thirty years of age • Citizen of the United States • Resided in Texas for at least five years immediately preceding election • Cannot hold any other office • Informal qualifications • Brilliance of mind • Legal knowledge • Political experience • Sound knowledge of business and industry

  4. Rules of the Office • Terms • 1972 extended to four years • No term limits • Removal from office • Impeachment • Only one governor impeached: James E. Ferguson • Two Stages • Texas House of Representatives cast a majority vote in favor • Texas Senate sits as jury

  5. Rules of the Office • Succession • Lieutenant governor is next in line for governor • Salary and Staff • $150,000 annually • Almost 300 staff members

  6. Formal Powers of Texas Governors • Execution of Laws • Executive Orders • Proclamations • Appointment Powers • More than 3,000 positions • Appointment power shared with state Senate • Approves all apointments

  7. Formal Powers of Texas Governors • Legislative Powers • Recommending legislation • Legislative “emergencies” • Special sessions • Veto Powers • Line Item Veto • Military Powers • Judicial Powers: Pardon and Clemency • Pardon • Forgive a crime • Clemency • Power to reduce or delay punishment

  8. Informal Powers of Texas Governors • Legislative Bargaining • Meals and Midnight visits • Endorsements • Working the Floor • Going Public • Dealing with the Media

  9. Informal Powers of Texas Governors • Agenda Setting • Agenda Setting • Citizen Advisory Group • Budget • Inaugural Speech • State of the State Address • Party Leader • Personal Outreach • Economic Cheerleader

  10. Weak and Strong Governor • Sheer Length of Term • Appointees • Party Power • Criticisms and Reforms • Appointment Powers • Cronyism • Removal Powers • Budget Powers

  11. Texas Takeaways • To run for governor in Texas, a candidate must be at least 30 years of age and a citizen of the United States and must have resided in Texas for at least five years immediately preceding his or her election. • Governors serve three and one-half years, on average. • The Texas legislature impeaches a governor in a two-stage process. First, the Texas House of Representatives investigates charges and must cast a majority vote in favor of impeachment. Second, the Texas Senate sits as a jury, hearing and evaluating the evidence in a trial setting. To convict an individual who has been impeached by the house and remove them from office, two-thirds of the senate must agree.

  12. Texas Takeaways • Governors routinely use executive orders, proclamations, political appointments, vetoes, line item vetoes, pardon powers, and military powers to run the executive branch. The governor also has his or her hand in the legislative side of things. Governors recommend legislation, declare legislative emergencies, call special sessions, and bargain with legislators. • The governor has the power to call the legislature into special session on any issue they choose, and sessions can last up to 30 days after the biennial 140-day session is over. • Governors veto approximately thirty pieces of legislation per legislative session. • Vetoes are almost never overturned. Only one has been recorded in Texas history.

  13. Texas Takeaways • The Governors’ informal powers are chief legislative bargainers, agenda setters and budget negotiators, party leaders, and economic cheerleaders. • Governors succeed more than 50 percent of the time on their agenda issues, although this is higher when governors are first elected to office or when political forces align. • The governor’s annual State of the State Speech and their inaugural address are both used to set the governor’s political and legislative agenda.

  14. Texas Takeaways • The powers of the Texas governor are weak on paper but strong in practice. Stronger governors exercise their powers more vigorously. • Texas ranks comparatively low on an index of power; but in practice, Texas governors have used the powers of the office to make themselves politically stronger. • Texas governors have expanded their political powers through aggressive use of appointment powers, the veto, party building, and staying longer in office.

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