Chapter 4: The Texas Governor

Governor abbot is an exception to the Texas Constitution since they purposely made the governor weak “The paradox of strong leaders in a weak office.”

Texas has Plural executive, Power is shared and disbursed among these executive officers

Governor is independently elected

Lt Governor is independently elected

Attorney General is independently elected

Comptroller of Public Accounts is independently elected

Agriculture Commissioner is independently elected

Railroad Commission has 3 commissioners that are each independently elected

Secretary of State is appointed by Governor

independently elected means they are not a team, or run on the same ticket, they may have been political rivals

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The Office of the Governor

Qualification

Constitutional (formal) requirements:

At least 30 years of age

Resident of Texas for at least five years

U.S. Citizen

Informal requirements (common characteristics)

White

Protestant

independently wealthy

Male

Lawyer w/ previous political experience

at times conservative ideology

Military experience

Powers of TX Governor

Executive Powers

Planning powers - extensive

Law Enforcement powers

Appointive power - limited

Judicial powers - very limited

Directive authority

Budgetary power

Military power

Cheif Legislator - suggest legislative program

Veto Power - also impressive

Informal Powers

Chief of State - impressive symbolic authority

Power of persuasion