Lieutenant Governor of Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate of Texas |
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Style | The Honorable |
Term length | Four years, no term limits |
Inaugural holder | Albert Clinton Horton 1846 |
Formation | Texas Constitution |
Website | Office of the Lieutenant Governor |
The lieutenant governor of Texas is a very important leader in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S.. This person holds the second most powerful job in Texas. They are in charge of the Texas Senate and help decide how the state's money is spent.
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What the Lieutenant Governor Does
The Texas Constitution says the lieutenant governor is the president of the Texas Senate. This means they lead the Senate meetings. Unlike in many other states, the lieutenant governor usually runs the meetings themselves. They don't often ask someone else to do it.
The lieutenant governor has a lot of power in the Senate. They get to choose all the special and regular committees. They also pick who leads these committees and who their members are. Plus, they decide which committee will review each new law proposed in the Senate. The lieutenant governor also makes decisions about the rules for how the Senate works.
The lieutenant governor is also a member of several important groups. These groups help make big decisions about state programs, the budget, and state rules. For example, they are part of the Legislative Budget Board. This board helps plan how Texas spends its money. They also serve on the Legislative Redistricting Board. This board draws new maps for voting districts if the Legislature doesn't do it after the census.
When the Office is Empty
If the lieutenant governor's job becomes empty, the Senate chooses one of its members to act as the "President of the Senate." This person then becomes the acting lieutenant governor until the next statewide election. The senator who is chosen keeps their regular Senate seat and can still vote.
The lieutenant governor takes their oath of office on the third Tuesday every four years. This is the same day the governor is sworn in.
Dan Patrick has been the lieutenant governor of Texas since January 20, 2015.
From 1846 to 1972, the lieutenant governor served for two years. But in 1972, voters decided to change the term to four years. This change started with the election in 1974.
Taking Over for the Governor
The lieutenant governor takes on the duties of the governor of Texas if the governor is out of the state. They also step in if the governor cannot do their job for any other reason. The lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor. This means they might be from different political parties. For example, this happened when George W. Bush was governor. It also happened during Bill Clements's time as governor.
The lieutenant governor becomes the governor if the elected governor resigns, dies, or is removed from office. A famous example is when Rick Perry became governor. He took office on December 21, 2000, after George W. Bush resigned to become U.S. president. When Perry became lieutenant governor on January 19, 1999, he was the first Republican to hold that job since James W. Flanagan in 1869.
How Texas Compares to Other States
Texas is one of the few states where the lieutenant governor has a lot of power. This makes the job very important in Texas. In many other states, the lieutenant governor has fewer responsibilities. Their role is often more like the vice president of the United States, who mainly helps the president.
List of Lieutenant Governors of Texas
Here is a list of the people who have served as lieutenant governor of Texas.
No. | Image | Lieutenant Governor | Party | Term in office | Governor | |
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1 | ![]() |
Albert Clinton Horton | Democratic | May 2, 1846 – December 21, 1847 |
James Pinckney Henderson | |
2 | John Alexander Greer | Democratic | December 21, 1847 – December 22, 1851 |
George Tyler Wood Peter Hansborough Bell |
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3 | ![]() |
James W. Henderson | Democratic | December 22, 1851 – November 23, 1853 |
Peter Hansborough Bell | |
4 | ![]() |
David Catchings Dickson | Democratic | December 21, 1853 – December 21, 1855 |
Elisha M. Pease | |
5 | ![]() |
Hardin Richard Runnels | Democratic | December 21, 1855 – December 21, 1857 |
Elisha M. Pease | |
6 | ![]() |
Francis Lubbock | Democratic | December 21, 1857 – December 21, 1859 |
Hardin Richard Runnels | |
7 | ![]() |
Edward Clark | Democratic | December 21, 1859 – March 16, 1861 |
Sam Houston | |
8 | ![]() |
John McClannahan Crockett | Democratic | November 7, 1861 – November 5, 1863 |
Francis Lubbock | |
9 | Fletcher Stockdale | Democratic | November 5, 1863 – June 17, 1865 |
Pendleton Murrah | ||
— | Vacant | June 17, 1865 – August 9, 1866 |
Fletcher Stockdale Andrew Jackson Hamilton |
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10 | ![]() |
George Washington Jones | Democratic | August 9, 1866 – July 30, 1867 |
James W. Throckmorton | |
— | Vacant | July 30, 1867 – January 8, 1870 |
Elisha M. Pease | |||
— | ![]() |
James W. Flanagan | Republican | January 8, 1870 – February 24, 1870 |
Edmund J. Davis | |
— | Vacant | February 24, 1870 – January 15, 1874 |
Edmund J. Davis | |||
11 | ![]() |
Richard B. Hubbard | Democratic | January 15, 1874 – December 1, 1876 |
Richard Coke | |
— | Vacant | December 1, 1876 – January 21, 1879 |
Richard B. Hubbard | |||
12 | ![]() |
Joseph Draper Sayers | Democratic | January 21, 1879 – January 18, 1881 |
Oran Milo Roberts | |
13 | ![]() |
Leonidas Jefferson Storey | Democratic | January 18, 1881 – January 16, 1883 |
Oran Milo Roberts | |
14 | ![]() |
Francis Marion Martin | Democratic | January 16, 1883 – January 20, 1885 |
John Ireland | |
15 | ![]() |
Barnett Gibbs | Democratic | January 20, 1885 – January 19, 1887 |
John Ireland | |
16 | ![]() |
Thomas Benton Wheeler | Democratic | January 19, 1887 – January 21, 1891 |
Lawrence Sullivan Ross | |
17 | ![]() |
George C. Pendleton | Democratic | January 21, 1891 – January 17, 1893 |
Jim Hogg | |
18 | ![]() |
Martin McNulty Crane | Democratic | January 17, 1893 – January 15, 1895 |
Jim Hogg | |
19 | ![]() |
George Taylor Jester | Democratic | January 15, 1895 – January 17, 1899 |
Charles Allen Culberson | |
20 | ![]() |
James Browning | Democratic | January 17, 1899 – January 20, 1903 |
Joseph D. Sayers | |
21 | ![]() |
George D. Neal | Democratic | January 20, 1903 – January 15, 1907 |
S. W. T. Lanham | |
22 | ![]() |
Asbury Bascom Davidson | Democratic | January 15, 1907 – January 21, 1913 |
Thomas Mitchell Campbell Oscar Branch Colquitt |
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23 | ![]() |
William Harding Mayes | Democratic | January 21, 1913 – August 14, 1914 |
Oscar Branch Colquitt | |
— | Vacant | August 14, 1914 – January 19, 1915 |
Oscar Branch Colquitt | |||
24 | ![]() |
William P. Hobby Sr. | Democratic | January 19, 1915 – August 25, 1917 |
James E. Ferguson | |
— | Vacant | August 25, 1917 – January 21, 1919 |
William P. Hobby | |||
25 | ![]() |
Willard Arnold Johnson | Democratic | January 21, 1919 – January 18, 1921 |
William P. Hobby | |
26 | ![]() |
Lynch Davidson | Democratic | January 18, 1921 – January 16, 1923 |
Pat Morris Neff | |
27 | ![]() |
Thomas Whitfield Davidson | Democratic | January 16, 1923 – January 20, 1925 |
Pat Morris Neff | |
28 | ![]() |
Barry Miller | Democratic | January 20, 1925 – January 20, 1931 |
Miriam A. Ferguson Dan Moody |
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29 | ![]() |
Edgar E. Witt | Democratic | January 20, 1931 – January 15, 1935 |
Ross S. Sterling Miriam A. Ferguson |
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30 | ![]() |
Walter Frank Woodul | Democratic | January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939 |
James V. Allred | |
31 | ![]() |
Coke R. Stevenson | Democratic | January 17, 1939 – August 4, 1941 |
W. Lee O'Daniel | |
— | Vacant | August 4, 1941 – January 19, 1943 |
Coke R. Stevenson | |||
32 | ![]() |
John Lee Smith | Democratic | January 19, 1943 – January 21, 1947 |
Coke R. Stevenson Beauford H. Jester |
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33 | ![]() |
Allan Shivers | Democratic | January 21, 1947 – July 11, 1949 |
Beauford H. Jester | |
— | Vacant | July 11, 1949 – January 16, 1951 |
Allan Shivers | |||
34 | ![]() |
Ben Ramsey | Democratic | January 16, 1951 – September 18, 1961 |
Allan Shivers Price Daniel |
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— | Vacant | September 18, 1961 – January 15, 1963 |
Price Daniel | |||
35 | ![]() |
Preston Smith | Democratic | January 15, 1963 – January 21, 1969 |
John Connally | |
36 | ![]() |
Ben Barnes | Democratic | January 21, 1969 – January 16, 1973 |
Preston Smith | |
37 | ![]() |
William P. Hobby Jr. | Democratic | January 16, 1973 – January 15, 1991 |
Dolph Briscoe (Democratic) Bill Clements (Republican) Mark White (Democratic) Bill Clements (Republican) |
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38 | ![]() |
Bob Bullock | Democratic | January 15, 1991 – January 19, 1999 |
Ann Richards (Democratic) George W. Bush (Republican) |
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39 | ![]() |
Rick Perry | Republican | January 19, 1999 – December 21, 2000 |
George W. Bush | |
40 | ![]() |
Bill Ratliff | Republican | December 28, 2000 – January 21, 2003 |
Rick Perry | |
41 | ![]() |
David Dewhurst | Republican | January 21, 2003 – January 20, 2015 |
Rick Perry | |
42 | ![]() |
Dan Patrick | Republican | January 20, 2015 – Incumbent |
Greg Abbott |