2. Overview of the Governorship
Gubernatorial Politics: Money and Media
Donors of large sums of money to a winning gubernatorial
campaign are often appointed to key policymaking positions
The practice of buying influence with campaign contributions is
common throughout the American political system
Texas is no exception
3. Overview of the Governorship
Election
Constitutional Prerequisites
Minimum age: 30
U.S. Citizenship
Texas residency for 5 years (immediately preceding the election)
Historically, those who are elected had a conservative-moderate
political ideology
4. Overview of the Governorship
Election
• Informal Qualifications of Governor
– Party v. Ideology
– Gender
– Race
– Religion
– Profession
– Income Level
– Incumbency
– Education
6. Overview of the Governorship
Compensation
Salary: $150,000 as of 2010-2011
Set in the state budget
Same as the salaries for the attorney general and the comptroller of
public accounts
Texas Constitution forbids the governor from receiving compensation
from other employment after taking office
Mansion
Around $168,000 per year for staff and upkeep
Staff
Travel
Security
Texas Department of Public Safety
7. Overview of the Governorship
Compensation
Salary: $150,000 as of 2010-2011
Set in the state budget
Mansion
Staff
Travel
Security – DPS
8. Overview of the Governorship
Succession
Should a governor die, resign, or be removed from office, a
governor-elect refuse to take office or be permanently unable to
fill the office, a successor serves for the remainder of the
governor’s 4 year term
Order of Succession
Lieutenant Governor
Senate President Pro Tempore
Speaker of the House
Attorney General
Chief Justices of 14 Texas Court of Appeals in ascending order
9. Overview of the Governorship
Removal from Office
Impeachment and conviction are the only constitutional means of
forcing a governor from office prior to the end of the term
Governor Jim “Pa” Ferguson was removed in 1917
Article XV Section 1 of the Texas Constitution explains process:
Articles of Impeachment begin in the Texas House of Representatives
with a simple majority vote
To remove the Governor – one or more of the articles must be
approved by 2/3 Senators present.
If convicted of impeachment, governor can no longer hold appointed or
elected state office
10. Overview of the Governorship
Staff
A governor’s success is often determined by the ability of his/her
personal staff to work with
Interest groups
The Texas Legislature
The general public
The number of people on the governor’s staff increased
dramatically after 1990 (Gov. Richard’s term)
However, the legislature removed some of these staff positions est. by
the Richards admin. to shrink state government
11. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Sam Houston (7th Governor) – 21
Dec. 1859 – 18 Mar. 1861 [Ind]
Only person in U.S. history to serve as
governor of two states as well as the
only governor to have been a foreign
head of state
Opposed secession of Texas from the
Union
Was evicted from office on 16 Mar.
1861 for refusing to take an oath of
loyalty to the Confederacy
To prevent further bloodshed in Texas,
Houston refused President Lincoln’s offer
of 50,000 troops to prevent Texas’
secession
12. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Edmund J. Davis (14th Governor) – 8
Jan. 1870– 15 Jan. 1874 [Rep]
Supported the rights of freedmen and
urged the division of Texas into several
Republican-controlled states
Accused of violating the 1st
Amendment, institutionalizing his
political opponents, and denying
enfranchisement to regular
Republicans
Used the Texas State Police to combat
racially-motivated crimes
Created the State Guard of Texas and the
Reserve Militia
Last Republican governor until Bill
Clements (1978)
13. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Richard Coke (15th Governor) – 15
Jan. 1874 – 21 Dec. 1876 [Dem]
From Waco, Texas
Fought in the Confederate army,
appointed as a Texas District Court
Judge, and later an associate Justice of
the Texas Supreme Court
Worked as governor to balance the
budget and presided over the
Constitutional Convention of 1875
Instrumental in creating the Agricultural
and Mechanical College of Texas
(Texas A&M)
Later elected as a U.S. Senator
14. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Lawrence Sullivan Ross (19th
Governor) – 1887– 1981 [Dem]
His family helped found Waco
Served as McLennan Co. Sheriff and a
Texas Ranger
CSA General in the Civil War
One of the youngest
Served as a state senator
As governor, he oversaw the dedication
of the new Texas State Capitol
Only governor to call a special session
to deal with a treasury surplus
Became president of Texas A&M and
helped save it from closure
15. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
James S. Hogg (20th Governor) –
1981 – 1985 [Dem]
First Texas Governor to be born in
Texas
Lawyer, doctor, and statesman
Served as attorney general
Associated with the populist movement
Hogg Laws
Supported the Texas Railroad
Commission
Sought to regulate alien land ownership
and stop railroads from issuing watered
stocks
Urged legislation for the RR Commission
to fix rates based on fair valuation
Essentially, our first “anti-trust” governor
16. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
James E. “Pa” Ferguson (26th
Governor) – 1915 – 1917 [Dem]
“Farmer Jim” from Temple, Texas
Anti-prohibitionist Democrat
Vetoed appropriations for the University of
Texas
Because he could not remove professors he
did not like
This spurred an impeachment movement in
the legislature
Indicted on 21 charges of
Misapplication of public funds
Receiving $156,000 from an unnamed source
Only Texas governor to be impeached
and removed from office
Later became the “First Gentleman of
Texas”
17. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Pat Morris Neff (28th Governor) –
1921 – 1925 [Dem]
Progressive Democrat from Waco,
Texas
Born in McGregor
Served as Assistant County Attorney
and County Attorney for McLennan Co.
Strong supporter of Prohibition and
instrumental in the development of the
Texas State Parks Board
Mother Neff Park
Ambivalent regarding the 1920s Ku
Klux Klan
Was President of Baylor University
from 1932 to 1947
18. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Miriam A. Ferguson (29th, 32nd
Governor) – 1925 – 1927; 1933-1935
[Dem]
Born in Bell County
Defeated Klan candidate Felix D.
Robertson in 1924
Averaged 100 pardons a month during
her first term in office
Accusations of bribes and kickbacks were
common
Unsuccessful attempts to impeach her
Accused of giving state highway contracts
to companies that advertised in her
husband’s newspaper during her 2nd term
In 1933, she signed legislation that
established the University of Houston
19. Overview of the Governorship
Notable Governors
Dan Moody (30th Governor) – 1927 –
1931 [Dem]
Business Progressive Democrat
Served as Williamson Co. Attorney
Obtained convictions against members
of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s
Est. 150,000 members at the time
Became known as the “Klan Fighting
Governor”
As Attorney General, he conducted
investigations of the Fergusons
Recovered $1 million for the state
Was instrumental in pushing the Klan
into hiding during his tenure as
governor
20. Check my SlideShare page
(rfair07) for more lectures
Lectures posted for:
United States History before 1877 / after 1877
Texas History
United States (Federal) Government / Texas Government
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