ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes both the limitations and the allure of the office of governor of Texas and the executive branch that he or she—sort of—leads. The Texas Constitution of 1876 created a plural executive of five state-wide elected officials: the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general (AG), comptroller of public accounts, and land commissioner. Constitutional amendments and statutes also mandate that the agriculture commissioner and the members of the Railroad Commission be elected state-wide. Members of the State Board of Education (SBE) are elected in districts across the state. The chapter explores the structure of the office of governor, the qualifications required to hold the office, and the formal and informal powers of the office. Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry succeeded George W. Bush as governor on December 21, 2000. All but a very few Texas governors have been wealthy, middle-aged, white, protestant, professional men. Most have been wealthy ranchers, businessmen, or lawyers.
