List of governors of Texas facts for kids

The Governor of Texas is like the main boss of the state. This person is in charge of the state's government and its military forces. The current governor is Greg Abbott. He is the 48th person to hold this important job since Texas became a state in 1845.

Compared to governors in some other states, the Texas governor has less power. Sometimes, the Lieutenant Governor of Texas, who leads the Texas Senate, has more influence.

Rick Perry served as governor for the longest time. He became governor in 2000 when George W. Bush left the job to become the 43rd president of the United States. Perry was elected in 2002 and won re-election in 2006 and 2010. He served for 14 years before deciding not to run again in 2014.

Allan Shivers became governor in July 1949 after Beauford Jester passed away. Shivers was elected in 1950 and re-elected in 1952 and 1954. He served for seven and a half years, making him the third longest-serving governor before he retired in 1956. Price Daniel was elected governor in 1956 and won re-election in 1958 and 1960. He tried for a fourth term in 1962 but did not win.

John Connally was elected in 1962 and re-elected in 1964 and 1966. He chose to retire in 1968, leaving office on January 21, 1969. Bill Clements served two terms that were not back-to-back. He was elected in 1978 but lost in 1982. He then won again in 1986 and retired in 1990. Before Rick Perry, Clements held the record for the second longest-serving governor.

Current Governor Greg Abbott was elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and again in 2022. He is the second longest-serving governor. By January 19, 2027, he will have served 12 years. He is currently seeking re-election for a fourth term in 2026. If he completes this term by January 21, 2031, he will become the state's longest-serving governor, serving more than Perry's 14 years.

How the Governor's Job Works

Texas became part of the United States on December 29, 1845. The governor starts their term on the third Tuesday of January every four years, along with the lieutenant governor.

Over the years, the rules for the governor's term have changed:

• In 1845, the first state constitution said the governor would serve for two years, but no more than four years out of every six.
• After Texas left the Union in 1861, the constitution changed the term start date to the first Monday of November after the election.
• After the American Civil War, the 1866 constitution made the term four years long. It also limited service to no more than eight years out of every twelve.
• The 1869 constitution, made during the Reconstruction period, removed all term limits. This means Texas is one of 16 states where there is no limit on how many terms a governor can serve.
• The current constitution from 1876 brought terms back to two years. However, a change in 1972 made them four years again.

If the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. Before a change in 1999, the lieutenant governor only acted as governor until the term ended. The governor and lieutenant governor are not elected together on the same ballot.

Governors of Texas

Governors of the State of Texas

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1			J. Pinckney Henderson (1808–1858)	February 19, 1846 – December 21, 1847 (did not run)	Democratic	1845		Horton, Albert ClintonAlbert Clinton Horton
2			George Tyler Wood (1795–1858)	December 21, 1847 – December 21, 1849 (lost election)	Democratic	1847		Greer, John AlexanderJohn Alexander Greer
3			Peter Hansborough Bell (1810–1898)	December 21, 1849 – November 23, 1853 (resigned)	Democratic	1849
						1851		Henderson, James W.James W. Henderson
4			James W. Henderson (1817–1880)	November 23, 1853 – December 21, 1853 (successor took office)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
5			Elisha M. Pease (1812–1883)	December 21, 1853 – December 21, 1857 (term-limited)	Democratic	1853		Dickson, David CatchingsDavid Catchings Dickson
						1855		Runnels, Hardin RichardHardin Richard Runnels
6			Hardin Richard Runnels (1820–1873)	December 21, 1857 – December 21, 1859 (lost election)	Democratic	1857		Lubbock, FrancisFrancis Lubbock
7			Sam Houston (1793–1863)	December 21, 1859 – March 16, 1861 (removed)	Independent	1859		Clark, EdwardEdward Clark
8			Edward Clark (1815–1880)	March 16, 1861 – November 7, 1861 (lost election)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
9			Francis Lubbock (1815–1905)	November 7, 1861 – November 5, 1863 (did not run)	Democratic	1861		Crockett, John McClannahanJohn McClannahan Crockett
10			Pendleton Murrah (d. 1865)	November 5, 1863 – June 17, 1865 (office vacated)	Democratic	1863		Stockdale, FletcherFletcher Stockdale
11			Andrew Jackson Hamilton (1815–1875)	June 17, 1865 – August 9, 1866 (successor took office)	Military governor appointed by President		Vacant
12			James W. Throckmorton (1825–1894)	August 9, 1866 – July 30, 1867 (removed)	Democratic	1866		Jones, George WashingtonGeorge Washington Jones
13			Elisha M. Pease (1812–1883)	July 30, 1867 – September 30, 1869 (resigned)	Installed by military occupation		Vacant
—	Vacant			September 30, 1869 – January 8, 1870	Office vacated after resignation
14			Edmund J. Davis (1827–1883)	January 8, 1870 – January 15, 1874 (lost election)	Republican	1869
15			Richard Coke (1829–1897)	January 15, 1874 – December 1, 1876 (resigned)	Democratic	1873		Hubbard, Richard B.Richard B. Hubbard
						1876
16			Richard B. Hubbard (1832–1901)	December 1, 1876 – January 21, 1879 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
17			Oran Milo Roberts (1815–1898)	January 21, 1879 – January 16, 1883 (did not run)	Democratic	1878		Sayers, Joseph D.Joseph D. Sayers
						1880		Storey, Leonidas JeffersonLeonidas Jefferson Storey
18			John Ireland (1827–1896)	January 16, 1883 – January 18, 1887 (did not run)	Democratic	1882		Martin, Francis MarionFrancis Marion Martin
						1884		Gibbs, BarnettBarnett Gibbs
19			Lawrence Sullivan Ross (1838–1898)	January 18, 1887 – January 20, 1891 (did not run)	Democratic	1886		Wheeler, Thomas BentonThomas Benton Wheeler
						1888
20			Jim Hogg (1851–1906)	January 20, 1891 – January 15, 1895 (did not run)	Democratic	1890		Pendleton, George C.George C. Pendleton
						1892		Crane, Martin McNultyMartin McNulty Crane
21			Charles A. Culberson (1855–1925)	January 15, 1895 – January 17, 1899 (did not run)	Democratic	1894		Jester, George TaylorGeorge Taylor Jester
						1896
22			Joseph D. Sayers (1841–1929)	January 17, 1899 – January 20, 1903 (did not run)	Democratic	1898		Browning, JamesJames Browning
						1900
23			S. W. T. Lanham (1846–1908)	January 20, 1903 – January 15, 1907 (did not run)	Democratic	1902		Neal, George D.George D. Neal
						1904
24			Thomas Mitchell Campbell (1856–1923)	January 15, 1907 – January 17, 1911 (did not run)	Democratic	1906		Davidson, Asbury BascomAsbury Bascom Davidson
						1908
25			Oscar Branch Colquitt (1861–1940)	January 17, 1911 – January 19, 1915 (did not run)	Democratic	1910
						1912		Mayes, William HardingWilliam Harding Mayes
26			James E. Ferguson (1871–1944)	January 19, 1915 – September 22, 1917 (impeached and removed)	Democratic	1914		Hobby, William P.William P. Hobby
						1916
27			William P. Hobby (1878–1964)	September 22, 1917 – January 18, 1921 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1918		Johnson, Willard ArnoldWillard Arnold Johnson
28			Pat Morris Neff (1871–1952)	January 18, 1921 – January 20, 1925 (did not run)	Democratic	1920		Davidson, LynchLynch Davidson
						1922		Davidson, Thomas WhitfieldThomas Whitfield Davidson
29			Miriam A. Ferguson (1875–1961)	January 20, 1925 – January 18, 1927 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1924		Miller, BarryBarry Miller
30			Dan Moody (1893–1966)	January 18, 1927 – January 20, 1931 (did not run)	Democratic	1926
						1928
31			Ross S. Sterling (1875–1949)	January 20, 1931 – January 17, 1933 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1930		Witt, Edgar E.Edgar E. Witt
32			Miriam A. Ferguson (1875–1961)	January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1935 (did not run)	Democratic	1932
33			James Burr V Allred (1899–1959)	January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939 (did not run)	Democratic	1934		Woodul, Walter FrankWalter Frank Woodul
						1936
34			W. Lee O'Daniel (1890–1969)	January 17, 1939 – August 4, 1941 (resigned)	Democratic	1938		Stevenson, Coke R.Coke R. Stevenson
						1940
35			Coke R. Stevenson (1888–1975)	August 4, 1941 – January 21, 1947 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1942		Smith, John LeeJohn Lee Smith
						1944
36			Beauford H. Jester (1893–1949)	January 21, 1947 – July 11, 1949 (died in office)	Democratic	1946		Shivers, AllanAllan Shivers
						1948
37			Allan Shivers (1907–1985)	July 11, 1949 – January 15, 1957 (did not run)	Democratic	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
						1950		Ramsey, BenBen Ramsey
						1952
						1954
38			Price Daniel (1910–1988)	January 15, 1957 – January 15, 1963 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1956
						1958
						1960
							Vacant
39			John Connally (1917–1993)	January 15, 1963 – January 21, 1969 (did not run)	Democratic	1962		Smith, PrestonPreston Smith
						1964
						1966
40			Preston Smith (1912–2003)	January 21, 1969 – January 16, 1973 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1968		Barnes, BenBen Barnes
						1970
41			Dolph Briscoe (1923–2010)	January 16, 1973 – January 16, 1979 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1972		Hobby Jr., William P.William P. Hobby Jr.
						1974
42			Bill Clements (1917–2011)	January 16, 1979 – January 18, 1983 (lost election)	Republican	1978
43			Mark White (1940–2017)	January 18, 1983 – January 20, 1987 (lost election)	Democratic	1982
44			Bill Clements (1917–2011)	January 20, 1987 – January 15, 1991 (did not run)	Republican	1986
45			Ann Richards (1933–2006)	January 15, 1991 – January 17, 1995 (lost election)	Democratic	1990		Bullock, BobBob Bullock
46			George W. Bush (b. 1946)	January 17, 1995 – December 21, 2000 (resigned)	Republican	1994
						1998		Perry, RickRick Perry
47			Rick Perry (b. 1950)	December 21, 2000 – January 20, 2015 (did not run)	Republican	Succeeded from lieutenant governor		Ratliff, BillBill Ratliff
						2002		Dewhurst, DavidDavid Dewhurst
						2006
						2010
48			Greg Abbott (b. 1957)	January 20, 2015 – Incumbent	Republican	2014		Patrick, DanDan Patrick
						2018
						2022

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Gobernantes de Texas para niños

• Lieutenant Governor of Texas
• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Texas
• List of Texas state legislatures