The following is a list of the Governors of the State of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature. The governor may grant pardons in cases other than impeachment (but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons and Paroles) or in the case of treason, with permission by the legislature. Compared to the governors of other US states, the Governorship of Texas is often cited as a fairly weak office. Indeed, in some respects it is the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, who presides over the state legislature, who is a more powerful political figure able to exercise greater personal prerogatives. The state's first constitution in 1845 established the office of governor, to serve for two years, but no more than four years out of every six (essentially a limit of no more than two consecutive terms).[1]. The 1861 secessionist constitution set the term state date at the first Monday in the November following the election.[2] The 1866 constitution, adopted just after the American Civil War, increased terms to four years, but no more than eight years out of every twelve, and moved the start date to the first Thursday after the organization of the legislature, or "as soon thereafter as practicable."[3] The Reconstruction constitution of 1869 removed the limit on terms,[4] and to this day, Texas is one of 14 states[5] with no gubernatorial term limit. The present constitution of 1876 shortened terms back to two years,[6] but a 1972 amendment increased it back to four years.[7] Despite the lack of term limits, no Texas governor in the 19th or 20th century ever served more than seven and a half consecutive years in office (Allan Shivers) or eight years total service (Bill Clements, in two non-consecutive four-year terms). Current Governor Rick Perry, who took office in December 2000, has now surpassed both these records. If Perry remains in office through the end of his current term, he will become the first Texas governor to serve two consecutive four-year terms. Perry has announced his intention to run for a third term in 2010. In case of a vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.[8] This was added only in a 1999 amendment, prior to which the lieutenant governor only acted as governor, except during the time of the 1861 constitution, which said that the lieutenant governor would be "styled Governor of the State of Texas" in case of vacancy.[9] [edit] Governors of Spanish Texas See: List of Texas Governors and Presidents [edit] Governors of Mexican Texas See: List of Texas Governors and Presidents [edit] Presidents of the Republic of Texas See: List of Presidents of the Republic of Texas [edit] Governors of Texas | # | Name | Picture | Took office | Left office | Party | Lt. Governor | Notes[10] | | 1 | James Pinckney Henderson |  | February 19, 1846 | December 21, 1847 | Democratic | Albert Clinton Horton | | | 2 | George T. Wood |  | December 21, 1847 | December 21, 1849 | Democratic | John Alexander Greer | | | 3 | Peter Hansborough Bell |  | December 21, 1849 | November 23, 1853 | Democratic | John Alexander Greer (1849-51) | [11] | | James W. Henderson (1851-53) | | 4 | James W. Henderson |  | November 23, 1853 | December 21, 1853 | Democratic | Vacant | [12] | | 5 | Elisha M. Pease |  | December 21, 1853 | December 21, 1857 | Unionist | David Catchings Dickson (1853-55) | | | Hardin Richard Runnels (1855-57) | | 6 | Hardin R. Runnels |  | December 21, 1857 | December 21, 1859 | Democratic | Francis R. Lubbock | | | 7 | Sam Houston |  | December 21, 1859 | March 18, 1861 | Independent | Edward Clark | [13] | | 8 | Edward Clark |  | March 18, 1861 | November 7, 1861 | Democratic | | [12] | | 9 | Francis R. Lubbock |  | November 7, 1861 | November 5, 1863 | Democratic | | | | 10 | Pendleton Murrah |  | November 5, 1863 | June 17, 1865 | Democratic | Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale | [14] | | Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale | | June 11, 1865 | June 16, 1865 | Military | | [15] | | 11 | Andrew J. Hamilton |  | June 17, 1865 | August 9, 1866 | Democratic-Military | Vacant | [16] | | 12 | James W. Throckmorton |  | August 9, 1866 | August 8, 1867 | Democratic | George Washington Jones | [17] | | 13 | Elisha M. Pease | | June 8, 1867 | September 30, 1869 | Republican | | [17][18] | | 14 | Edmund J. Davis |  | January 8, 1870 | January 15, 1874 | Republican | Vacant | [19] | | 15 | Richard Coke |  | January 15, 1874 | December 21, 1876 | Democratic | | [20] | | 16 | Richard B. Hubbard |  | December 21, 1876 | January 21, 1879 | Democratic | | [12] | | 17 | Oran M. Roberts |  | January 21, 1879 | January 16, 1883 | Democratic | | | | 18 | John Ireland |  | January 16, 1883 | January 20, 1887 | Democratic | | | | 19 | Lawrence Sullivan Ross |  | January 18, 1887 | January 20, 1891 | Democratic | | | | 20 | James Stephen Hogg |  | January 20, 1891 | January 15, 1895 | Democratic | | | | 21 | Charles A. Culberson |  | January 15, 1895 | January 17, 1899 | Democratic | | | | 22 | Joseph D. Sayers |  | January 17, 1899 | January 20, 1903 | Democratic | | | | 23 | S. W. T. Lanham |  | January 20, 1903 | January 15, 1907 | Democratic | | | | 24 | Thomas Mitchell Campbell |  | January 15, 1907 | January 17, 1911 | Democratic | | | | 25 | Oscar Branch Colquitt |  | January 17, 1911 | January 19, 1915 | Democratic | | | | 26 | James E. "Pa" Ferguson |  | January 19, 1915 | August 25, 1917 | Democratic | | [21] | | 27 | William P. Hobby |  | August 25, 1917 | January 18, 1921 | Democratic | | [22] | | 28 | Pat Morris Neff | | January 18, 1921 | January 20, 1925 | Democratic | | | | 29 | Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson |  | January 20, 1925 | January 17, 1927 | Democratic | Barry Miller | | | 30 | Dan Moody | | January 17, 1927 | January 20, 1931 | Democratic | | | 31 | Ross S. Sterling | | January 20, 1931 | January 17, 1933 | Democratic | Edgar E. Witt | | | 32 | Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson | | January 17, 1933 | January 15, 1935 | Democratic | | | 33 | James V. Allred | | January 15, 1935 | January 17, 1939 | Democratic | Walter Frank Woodul | | | 34 | W. Lee O'Daniel |  | January 17, 1939 | August 4, 1941 | Democratic | Coke R. Stevenson | [23] | | 35 | Coke R. Stevenson | | August 4, 1941 | January 21, 1947 | Democratic | Vacant (1941-43) | [22] | | John Lee Smith (1943-47) | | 36 | Beauford H. Jester | | January 21, 1947 | July 11, 1949 | Democratic | Allan Shivers | [24] | | 37 | Allan Shivers |  | July 11, 1949 | January 15, 1957 | Democratic | Vacant (1949-51) | [22] | | Ben Ramsey (1951-53) | | 38 | Price Daniel |  | January 15, 1957 | January 21, 1963 | Democratic | Ben Ramsey | | | 39 | John Connally |  | January 15, 1963 | January 21, 1969 | Democratic | Preston Smith | | | 40 | Preston Smith |  | January 21, 1969 | January 16, 1973 | Democratic | Ben Barnes | | | 41 | Dolph Briscoe |  | January 16, 1973 | January 16, 1979 | Democratic | William P. Hobby, Jr. | | | 42 | Bill Clements | File:Clements-p01.jpg | January 16, 1979 | January 18, 1983 | Republican | | | 43 | Mark White |  | January 18, 1983 | January 20, 1987 | Democratic | | | 44 | Bill Clements | File:Governor Bill Clements.jpg | January 20, 1987 | January 15, 1991 | Republican | | | 45 | Ann Richards |  | January 15, 1991 | January 17, 1995 | Democratic | Bob Bullock | | | 46 | George W. Bush |  | January 17, 1995 | December 21, 2000 | Republican | Bob Bullock (1995-99) | [25] | | Rick Perry (1999-2000) | | 47 | Rick Perry |  | December 21, 2000 | Incumbent | Republican | Bill Ratliff (acting) (2000-03) | [22][26] | | David Dewhurst (2003-present) | [edit] Other high offices held [edit] Living former governors As of November 2009[update], four former governors were alive. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Ann Richards (1991–1995), on September 13, 2006. | Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth | | Dolph Briscoe | 1973–1979 | April 23, 1923 (1923-04-23) (age 86) | | Bill Clements | 1979–1983, 1987–1991 | April 17, 1917 (1917-04-17) (age 92) | | Mark White | 1983–1987 | March 17, 1940 (1940-03-17) (age 69) | | George W. Bush | 1995–2000 | July 6, 1946 (1946-07-06) (age 63) | [edit] Gubernatorial Trivia [edit] Background - Texas has had two female governors:
- Governors have been born in fourteen states:
[edit] Elections - Three governors have served non-consecutive terms:
- For 105 years between 1874 and 1979, no Republican served as governor.
[edit] Texas Governors in Popular Culture [edit] See also - ^ 1845 Const. Art V sec 4
- ^ 1861 Const. art V sec 12
- ^ 1866 Const. art V sec 4
- ^ 1869 Const. Art IV sec 4)
- ^ Executive Branch retrieved 23-October-2008
- ^ TX Const. Art IV sec 4
- ^ http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/1_3_1.html
- ^ TX Const. art IV sec 16 graf d
- ^ 1861 Const art V sec 12
- ^ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
- ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ^ Evicted from office due to his refusal to swear an oath to the Confederate States of America.
- ^ Fled Austin as it fell to [[Union (American Civil War)|]] forces.
- ^ NGA says he was Lt. Gov who served after Murrah fled.
- ^ Provisional military governor
- ^ a b James Throckmorton was removed from office by General Philip Sheridan, and Elisha Pease installed in his place.
- ^ Resigned due to disagreements with General Joseph Reynolds.
- ^ Elected in a special election held under military direction.
- ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the U.S. Senate.
- ^ Resigned due to the legislature bringing impeachment proceedings against him.
- ^ a b c d As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was subsequently in their own right.
- ^ Resigned after winning the Democratic primary for a U.S. Senate seat; he won the election.
- ^ Died in office.
- ^ Resigned to be President of the United States.
- ^ Governor Perry's second term expires January 18, 2011; he is not term limited.
[edit] References - General
- Constitutions
- Specific
|
