List of Governors of Texas
Encyclopedia
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas
's government and the commander-in-chief
of the state's
military forces
. The governor
has the power to either approve or veto
bills
passed by the Texas Legislature
, and to convene the legislature. The governor may grant pardon
s in cases other than impeachment
(but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons and Paroles) or in the case of treason
, with permission by the legislature.
Compared to the governors of other U.S. states, the governorship of Texas has been cited by Slate magazine and liberal commentator Molly Ivins as a fairly weak office.
In some respects it is the Lieutenant Governor of Texas
, who presides over the state Senate, who is a more powerful political figure able to exercise greater personal prerogatives. Current Governor Rick Perry held the Lt. Governorship from 1999-2000, under George W. Bush.
The state's first constitution in 1845 established the office of governor, to serve for two years, but no more than four years out of every six (essentially a limit of no more than two consecutive terms). The 1861 secessionist constitution set the term start date at the first Monday in the November following the election. The 1866 constitution, adopted just after the American Civil War
, increased terms to four years, but no more than eight years out of every twelve, and moved the start date to the first Thursday after the organization of the legislature, or "as soon thereafter as practicable." The Reconstruction constitution of 1869 removed the limit on terms, and to this day, Texas is one of 14 states with no gubernatorial term limit
. The present constitution of 1876 shortened terms back to two years, but a 1972 amendment increased it back to four years.
The Governor
is sworn-in on the third Tuesday of January every four years along with the Lieutenant Governor
, so Perry and current Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
both began new terms on January 18, 2011, which ends on January 20, 2015.
Despite the lack of term limits, no Texas governor in the 19th or 20th century ever served more than seven and a half consecutive years in office (Allan Shivers
) or eight years total service (Bill Clements
, in two non-consecutive four-year terms). Current Governor Rick Perry
, who took office in December 2000, has now surpassed both records. Perry joins Shivers, Price Daniel
, and John Connally
as the fourth Texas governor to serve three terms.
In case of a vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. This was added only in a 1999 amendment, prior to which the lieutenant governor only acted as governor, except during the time of the 1861 constitution, which said that the lieutenant governor would be "styled Governor of the State of Texas" in case of vacancy.
(1979–1983, 1987–1991), on May 29, 2011. The most recent governor to serve who has died is Ann Richards
(1991–1995), who died on September 13, 2006.
and Ann Richards
. Ferguson was one of the first two women elected governor of a U.S. state (on November 4, 1924), along with Nellie Tayloe Ross
of Wyoming
. Ross was inaugurated on January 5, 1925, while Ferguson was inaugurated on January 20, so Ross is considered the first female state governor. Ferguson was the wife of former governor Jim "Pa" Ferguson
, while Richards was elected "in her own right," being neither the spouse nor widow of a governor.
Texas governors have been born in fourteen states: Alabama
, Connecticut
, Florida
, Georgia
, Iowa
, Kentucky
, Louisiana
, Mississippi
, North Carolina
, Ohio
, South Carolina
, Tennessee
, Texas, and Virginia
.
Baylor University
is the most common alma mater
of Texas governors, with five of them - Lawrence Sullivan Ross
, Pat Morris Neff
, Price Daniel
, Mark White
, and Ann Richards
- considered alumni (though Ross attended but never completed a degree). To date, Coke Stevenson is the most recent governor who never attended college, and Bill Clements
is the most recent who attended college but did not graduate.
Ann Richards
is possibly most famous for insulting her fellow Texan Vice-President George H. W. Bush
during his 1988 presidential campaign, drawling to the Democratic National Convention
"Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver FOOT in his mouth!". The insult clearly did not stick, as Bush defeated Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis
by a respectable margin. Ironically, seven years later, she found herself expelled from the Governor's office with her defeat in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election by the former President's eldest son, George W. Bush
.
, Miriam A. Ferguson
, and Bill Clements
. As was the case in most Southern states, Texas elected no Republican governors from the end of Reconstruction until the late twentieth century. Bill Clements
was the state's first Republican governor since Edmund J. Davis
left office in 1874, 105 years earlier. Dolph Briscoe
was the last governor to be elected to a two-year term, in 1972; he was also the first to be elected to a four-year term, in 1974, since the post-Reconstruction period when two-year terms had first been established.
served as the inspiration for the fictional, but similarly named Mississippi
Governor Menelaus "Pappy" O'Daniel in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?
.
Ann Richards
had a cameo appearance on an episode of the animated comedy series King of the Hill, in which she has a brief romance with Bill Dauterive after he takes the fall for mooning her in the elevator of an Austin
hotel (Hank actually mooned her because he thought his friends were going to be mooning the people in the elevator but they set him up).
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
's government and the commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the state's
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
military forces
Texas National Guard
The Texas National Guard consists of the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. The Guard is administered by the adjutant general, an appointee of the governor of Texas. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state...
. The governor
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
has the power to either approve or veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
bills
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
passed by the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
, and to convene the legislature. The governor may grant pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
s in cases other than impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
(but only when recommended by the Board of Pardons and Paroles) or in the case of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, with permission by the legislature.
Compared to the governors of other U.S. states, the governorship of Texas has been cited by Slate magazine and liberal commentator Molly Ivins as a fairly weak office.
In some respects it is the Lieutenant Governor of Texas
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
The Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the...
, who presides over the state Senate, who is a more powerful political figure able to exercise greater personal prerogatives. Current Governor Rick Perry held the Lt. Governorship from 1999-2000, under George W. Bush.
| Party | Governors |
| Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
39 |
| Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
6 |
| Unionist Unionist Party (United States) The Union Party was a fusion political party conceived by Republicans in 1861 to combine people of all political affiliations into a single movement committed to the preservation of the Union and to war. Republicans wanted to project an image of wartime nonpartisanship and they also expected to... |
1 |
| Independent | 1 |
The state's first constitution in 1845 established the office of governor, to serve for two years, but no more than four years out of every six (essentially a limit of no more than two consecutive terms). The 1861 secessionist constitution set the term start date at the first Monday in the November following the election. The 1866 constitution, adopted just after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, increased terms to four years, but no more than eight years out of every twelve, and moved the start date to the first Thursday after the organization of the legislature, or "as soon thereafter as practicable." The Reconstruction constitution of 1869 removed the limit on terms, and to this day, Texas is one of 14 states with no gubernatorial term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
. The present constitution of 1876 shortened terms back to two years, but a 1972 amendment increased it back to four years.
The Governor
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
is sworn-in on the third Tuesday of January every four years along with the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Texas
The Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the...
, so Perry and current Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst
David Dewhurst is the 41st and current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving under Governor Rick Perry since January 21, 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Texas Land Commissioner from 1999 to 2003. Dewhurst announced on July 18, 2011, that he was running for the...
both began new terms on January 18, 2011, which ends on January 20, 2015.
Despite the lack of term limits, no Texas governor in the 19th or 20th century ever served more than seven and a half consecutive years in office (Allan Shivers
Allan Shivers
Robert Allan Shivers was a Texas politician who led the conservative faction of the Texas Democratic Party during the turbulent 1940s and 1950s...
) or eight years total service (Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
, in two non-consecutive four-year terms). Current Governor Rick Perry
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
, who took office in December 2000, has now surpassed both records. Perry joins Shivers, Price Daniel
Price Daniel
Marion Price Daniel, Sr. , was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the National Security Council, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Assistant to the President for Federal-State...
, and John Connally
John Connally
John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in...
as the fourth Texas governor to serve three terms.
In case of a vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor. This was added only in a 1999 amendment, prior to which the lieutenant governor only acted as governor, except during the time of the 1861 constitution, which said that the lieutenant governor would be "styled Governor of the State of Texas" in case of vacancy.
Governors of Texas
| # | Name | Picture | Took office | Left office | Party | Lt. Governor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Pinckney Henderson James Pinckney Henderson James Pinckney Henderson was a United States and Republic of Texas lawyer, politician, soldier, and the first Governor of the State of Texas.... |
February 19, 1846 | December 21, 1847 | Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Albert Clinton Horton Albert Clinton Horton Albert Clinton Horton was a Texan politician, and the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.-Early life:... |
||
| 2 | George T. Wood |  |
December 21, 1847 | December 21, 1849 | Democratic | John Alexander Greer John Alexander Greer John Alexander Greer was a Texan politician, and the second Lieutenant Governor of Texas.Greer was born at Shelbyville, Tennessee on July 18, 1802. He was in Kentucky before moving to Texas in 1830. He represented San Augustine as a senator in the Congress of the Republic of Texas from... |
|
| 3 | Peter Hansborough Bell Peter Hansborough Bell Peter Hansborough Bell was an American military officer and politician who served as the third Governor of Texas and represented the state for two terms in the United States House of Representatives.-Background:Bell was born March 11, 1810 in Culpeper County, Virginia... |
 |
December 21, 1849 | November 23, 1853 | Democratic | John Alexander Greer John Alexander Greer John Alexander Greer was a Texan politician, and the second Lieutenant Governor of Texas.Greer was born at Shelbyville, Tennessee on July 18, 1802. He was in Kentucky before moving to Texas in 1830. He represented San Augustine as a senator in the Congress of the Republic of Texas from... (1849–51) |
|
| James W. Henderson (1851–53) | |||||||
| 4 | James W. Henderson |  |
November 23, 1853 | December 21, 1853 | Democratic | Vacant | |
| 5 | Elisha M. Pease Elisha M. Pease Elisha Marshall Pease was a U.S. politician from the 1830s through the 1870s. He served as the fifth and 13th Governor of Texas .A native of Enfield, Connecticut, Pease moved to Mexican Texas in 1835... |
 |
December 21, 1853 | December 21, 1857 | Unionist Unionist Party (United States) The Union Party was a fusion political party conceived by Republicans in 1861 to combine people of all political affiliations into a single movement committed to the preservation of the Union and to war. Republicans wanted to project an image of wartime nonpartisanship and they also expected to... |
David Catchings Dickson David Catchings Dickson David Catchings Dickson was an American politician and physician in early Texas who served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas and as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He was also a State Senator and unsuccessfully ran for governor of Texas.... (1853–55) |
|
| Hardin Richard Runnels Hardin Richard Runnels Hardin Richard Runnels was a U.S. political figure. He served as the sixth Governor of Texas between 1857 and 1859. His defeat of Sam Houston in the 1857 election for governor marked the only time that Houston ever lost an election. Runnels favored secession from the Union and re-establishing the... (1855–57) |
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| 6 | Hardin R. Runnels |  |
December 21, 1857 | December 21, 1859 | Democratic | Francis R. Lubbock | |
| 7 | Sam Houston Sam Houston Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of... |
 |
December 21, 1859 | March 18, 1861 | Independent | Edward Clark Edward Clark (governor) Edward Clark was the eighth Governor of Texas. His term coincided with the beginning of the American Civil War.-Biography:... |
|
| 8 | Edward Clark Edward Clark (governor) Edward Clark was the eighth Governor of Texas. His term coincided with the beginning of the American Civil War.-Biography:... |
 |
March 18, 1861 | November 7, 1861 | Democratic | Vacant | |
| 9 | Francis R. Lubbock |  |
November 7, 1861 | November 5, 1863 | Democratic | John McClannahan Crockett John McClannahan Crockett John McClannahan Crockett was a Texan lawyer, mayor of Dallas, and the Lieutenant Governor of Texas. A South Carolina native, Crockett moved to Texas in 1847. He became the second mayor of Dallas, and the Lieutenant Governor of Texas from 1861–1863.-Early life:Crockett was born at Lancaster,... |
|
| 10 | Pendleton Murrah Pendleton Murrah Pendleton Murrah was the tenth Governor of Texas. His term in office coincided with the American Civil War.A native of South Carolina, Murrah graduated from Brown University in 1848. He moved to Texas and opened a law practice in Marshall. He ran and was defeated for the U.S... |
 |
November 5, 1863 | June 17, 1865 | Democratic | Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale | |
| Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale | June 11, 1865 | June 16, 1865 | Military | Vacant | |||
| 11 | Andrew J. Hamilton Andrew J. Hamilton Andrew Jackson Hamilton was a United States politician during the third quarter of the 19th century. He was a lawyer, state representative, military governor of Texas, as well as the 11th Governor of Texas during Reconstruction.-Early life:Hamilton was born in Huntsville, Alabama on January 28, 1815... |
 |
June 17, 1865 | August 9, 1866 | Democratic-Military | Vacant | |
| 12 | James W. Throckmorton James W. Throckmorton James Webb Throckmorton was an American politician who served as the 12th Governor of Texas from 1866 to 1867 during the early days of Reconstruction... |
 |
August 9, 1866 | August 8, 1867 | Democratic | George Washington Jones George Washington Jones (Texas politician) George Washington Jones was a Texas politician, a Lieutenant Governor of Texas and a Greenback member of the United States House of Representatives.-Early life:... |
|
| 13 | Elisha M. Pease Elisha M. Pease Elisha Marshall Pease was a U.S. politician from the 1830s through the 1870s. He served as the fifth and 13th Governor of Texas .A native of Enfield, Connecticut, Pease moved to Mexican Texas in 1835... |
|
June 8, 1867 | September 30, 1869 | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Vacant | |
| 14 | Edmund J. Davis Edmund J. Davis Edmund Jackson Davis was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician. He was a Southern Unionist and served as a Union general in the American Civil War, besides serving one term as the 14th Governor of Texas.-Early years:... |
 |
January 8, 1870 | January 15, 1874 | Republican | Vacant | |
| 15 | Richard Coke Richard Coke Richard Coke was an American lawyer, farmer, and statesman from Waco, Texas. He was the 15th governor of Texas from 1874 to 1876 and represented Texas in the U.S. Senate from 1877 to 1895. His uncle was Congressman Richard Coke, Jr..Coke was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, to John and Eliza Coke... |
 |
January 15, 1874 | December 21, 1876 | Democratic | Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr. Richard B. Hubbard Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr. was the 16th Governor of Texas from 1876 to 1879 and United States Envoy to Japan from 1885 to 1889. He was a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War and was a member of the Democratic Party.-Early years:Hubbard was the son of Richard Bennett and Serena Hubbard... |
|
| 16 | Richard B. Hubbard Richard B. Hubbard Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr. was the 16th Governor of Texas from 1876 to 1879 and United States Envoy to Japan from 1885 to 1889. He was a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War and was a member of the Democratic Party.-Early years:Hubbard was the son of Richard Bennett and Serena Hubbard... |
 |
December 21, 1876 | January 21, 1879 | Democratic | Vacant | |
| 17 | Oran M. Roberts Oran M. Roberts Oran Milo Roberts , was the 17th Governor of Texas from January 21, 1879 to January 16, 1883. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Roberts County, Texas, is named after him.... |
 |
January 21, 1879 | January 16, 1883 | Democratic | Joseph Draper Sayers Joseph D. Sayers Joseph Draper Sayers was the 22nd Governor of Texas from 1899 to 1903. During Sayers's term, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 demolished that city.- Early years :... (1879–81) |
|
| Leonidas Jefferson Storey (1881–83) | |||||||
| 18 | John Ireland John Ireland (politician) John Ireland was the 18th Governor of Texas from 1883 to 1887. During Ireland's term, the University of Texas was established, and construction on the Texas State Capitol began... |
 |
January 16, 1883 | January 20, 1887 | Democratic | Francis Marion Martin (1883–85) | |
| Barnett Gibbs (1885–87) | |||||||
| 19 | Lawrence Sullivan Ross Lawrence Sullivan Ross Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross was the 19th Governor of Texas , a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and a president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now called Texas A&M University.Ross was raised in the Republic of Texas, which was later annexed to... |
 |
January 18, 1887 | January 20, 1891 | Democratic | Thomas Benton Wheeler | |
| 20 | James Stephen Hogg Jim Hogg James Stephen "Big Jim" Hogg was a Texas lawyer, doctor and statesman, and the 20th Governor of Texas. He was born near Rusk, Texas. Hogg was a follower of the conservative New South Creed which became popular following the U.S. Civil War, and was also associated with populism. He was the first... |
 |
January 20, 1891 | January 15, 1895 | Democratic | George Cassety Pendleton (1891–93) | |
| Martin McNulty Crane (1893–95) | |||||||
| 21 | Charles A. Culberson |  |
January 15, 1895 | January 17, 1899 | Democratic | George Taylor Jester George Taylor Jester George Taylor Jester served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from 1895 to 1899. He was born in Macoupin County, Illinois to Levi and Diadema Jester... |
|
| 22 | Joseph D. Sayers Joseph D. Sayers Joseph Draper Sayers was the 22nd Governor of Texas from 1899 to 1903. During Sayers's term, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 demolished that city.- Early years :... |
 |
January 17, 1899 | January 20, 1903 | Democratic | James Nathan Browning James Browning (Texas politician) James Nathan Browning was a Texas politician and lawyer. He served as Lieutenant Governor from 1898-1902.He had earlier served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives.... |
|
| 23 | S. W. T. Lanham |  |
January 20, 1903 | January 15, 1907 | Democratic | George D. Neal | |
| 24 | Thomas Mitchell Campbell Thomas Mitchell Campbell Thomas Mitchell Campbell was the 24th Governor of Texas from 1907 to 1911.-Biography:Campbell was born in Rusk, Texas, the son of Thomas Duncan and Rachel Campbell. He attended school at Rusk and entered Trinity University in 1873 to study law. He was unable to support himself and withdrew after... |
 |
January 15, 1907 | January 17, 1911 | Democratic | Asbury Bascom Davidson | |
| 25 | Oscar Branch Colquitt Oscar Branch Colquitt Oscar Branch Colquitt was the 25th Governor of Texas from January 17, 1911 to January 19, 1915. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Gov... |
 |
January 17, 1911 | January 19, 1915 | Democratic | Asbury Bascom Davidson (1911–13) | |
| William Harding Mayes (1913–15) | |||||||
| 26 | James E. "Pa" Ferguson James E. Ferguson James Edward "Pa" Ferguson, Jr. , was a Democratic politician from the state of Texas.- Early life :Ferguson was born to the Reverend James Ferguson, Sr., and Fannie Ferguson near Salado in south Bell County, Texas. He entered Salado College at age twelve but was eventually expelled for... |
 |
January 19, 1915 | August 25, 1917 | Democratic | William Pettus Hobby, Sr. William P. Hobby William Pettus Hobby was the publisher of the Houston Post and the 27th Governor of the U.S. state of Texas from 1917 to 1921.... |
|
| 27 | William P. Hobby William P. Hobby William Pettus Hobby was the publisher of the Houston Post and the 27th Governor of the U.S. state of Texas from 1917 to 1921.... |
 |
August 25, 1917 | January 18, 1921 | Democratic | Vacant (1917–19) | |
| Willard Arnold Johnson (1919–21) | |||||||
| 28 | Pat Morris Neff Pat Morris Neff Pat Morris Neff was the 28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925 and 9th President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947.-Early life:... |
January 18, 1921 | January 20, 1925 | Democratic | Lynch Davidson (1921–23) | ||
| Thomas Whitfield Davidson Thomas Whitfield Davidson Thomas Whitfield Davidson was a United States federal judge.Born in Harrison County, Texas, Davidson read law to enter the bar in 1903. He was in private practice in Marshall, Texas from 1903 to 1907. He was the city attorney of Marshall 1907 to 1914, thereafter resuming his private practice in... (1923–25) |
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| 29 | Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson Miriam A. Ferguson Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:... |
 |
January 20, 1925 | January 17, 1927 | Democratic | Barry Miller | |
| 30 | Dan Moody Dan Moody Daniel James Moody, Jr. , was a Democratic political figure, originally from Taylor, Texas, USA. He served as the 30th Governor of Texas between 1927 and 1931, and is best remembered as a reformer and an opponent of the Ku Klux Klan... |
January 17, 1927 | January 20, 1931 | Democratic | |||
| 31 | Ross S. Sterling Ross S. Sterling Ross Shaw Sterling was a U.S. political figure who was the 31st Governor of Texas, having served a single two-year term between January 20, 1931, and January 17, 1933.... |
January 20, 1931 | January 17, 1933 | Democratic | Edgar E. Witt Edgar E. Witt Edgar E. Witt was a Texas lawyer and politician, serving as Lieutenant Governor for one term in the 1930s. He also served twice as Chairman of the American-Mexican Claims Commission and Chief Commissioner of the Indian Claims Commission.-Early life:Witt was born on January 28, 1876, in Bell... |
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| 32 | Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson Miriam A. Ferguson Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:... |
|
January 17, 1933 | January 15, 1935 | Democratic | ||
| 33 | James V. Allred | January 15, 1935 | January 17, 1939 | Democratic | Walter Frank Woodul Walter Frank Woodul Walter Frank Woodul was a Texas politician who was an early proponent of a state highway system. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from 1935 to 1939, under Governor James V. Allred.-External links:... |
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| 34 | W. Lee O'Daniel W. Lee O'Daniel Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, , was a conservative Democratic Party politician from Texas, who came to prominence by hosting a popular radio program. Known for his populist appeal, Pappy O'Daniel was the governor of Texas and later its junior U.S. Senator. He is also the only person ever to have... |
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January 17, 1939 | August 4, 1941 | Democratic | Coke R. Stevenson Coke R. Stevenson Coke Robert Stevenson was the 35th Governor of Texas from 1941 to 1947. He was the only 20th century Texan politician to serve as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, as Lieutenant Governor, and then as governor... |
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| 35 | Coke R. Stevenson Coke R. Stevenson Coke Robert Stevenson was the 35th Governor of Texas from 1941 to 1947. He was the only 20th century Texan politician to serve as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, as Lieutenant Governor, and then as governor... |
August 4, 1941 | January 21, 1947 | Democratic | Vacant (1941–43) | ||
| John Lee Smith John Lee Smith John Lee Smith was the lieutenant governor of Texas during World War II and a vocal opponent of Texas labor unions during his tenure.... (1943–47) |
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| 36 | Beauford H. Jester Beauford H. Jester Beauford Halbert Jester was a U.S. political figure, the son of George Taylor Jester and his second wife, Frances Gordon Jester. He served as the 36th Governor of Texas from 1947 until 1949, when he died of a heart attack... |
January 21, 1947 | July 11, 1949 | Democratic | Allan Shivers Allan Shivers Robert Allan Shivers was a Texas politician who led the conservative faction of the Texas Democratic Party during the turbulent 1940s and 1950s... |
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| 37 | Allan Shivers Allan Shivers Robert Allan Shivers was a Texas politician who led the conservative faction of the Texas Democratic Party during the turbulent 1940s and 1950s... |
 |
July 11, 1949 | January 15, 1957 | Democratic | Vacant (1949–51) | |
| Ben Ramsey Ben Ramsey Ben Ramsey was a Texas politician who served in a succession of offices during the mid-20th century. He served in both Houses of the Texas Legislature, as secretary of state, Lieutenant Governor, and as member of the Texas Railroad Commission.Ramsey was born on December 28, 1903 in San Augustine,... (1951–53) |
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| 38 | Price Daniel Price Daniel Marion Price Daniel, Sr. , was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the National Security Council, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Assistant to the President for Federal-State... |
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January 15, 1957 | January 15, 1963 | Democratic | Ben Ramsey Ben Ramsey Ben Ramsey was a Texas politician who served in a succession of offices during the mid-20th century. He served in both Houses of the Texas Legislature, as secretary of state, Lieutenant Governor, and as member of the Texas Railroad Commission.Ramsey was born on December 28, 1903 in San Augustine,... |
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| 39 | John Connally John Connally John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in... |
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January 15, 1963 | January 21, 1969 | Democratic | Preston Smith Preston Smith (Texas) Preston Earnest Smith was the 40th Governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, who earlier served as the lieutenant governor from 1963 to 1969.-Early life:... |
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| 40 | Preston Smith Preston Smith (Texas) Preston Earnest Smith was the 40th Governor of Texas from 1969 to 1973, who earlier served as the lieutenant governor from 1963 to 1969.-Early life:... |
January 21, 1969 | January 16, 1973 | Democratic | Ben Barnes | ||
| 41 | Dolph Briscoe Dolph Briscoe Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979.... |
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January 16, 1973 | January 16, 1979 | Democratic | William P. Hobby, Jr. William P. Hobby, Jr. William Pettus “Bill” Hobby, Jr., is a Texas Democratic politician who served a record eighteen years as the 37th Lieutenant Governor... |
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| 42 | Bill Clements Bill Clements William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction... |
January 16, 1979 | January 18, 1983 | Republican | |||
| 43 | Mark White Mark White Mark Wells White is an American lawyer, who served as the 43rd Governor of Texas from January 18,1983-January 20,1987.-Biography:... |
 |
January 18, 1983 | January 20, 1987 | Democratic | ||
| 44 | Bill Clements Bill Clements William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction... |
January 20, 1987 | January 15, 1991 | Republican | |||
| 45 | Ann Richards Ann Richards Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was... |
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January 15, 1991 | January 17, 1995 | Democratic | Bob Bullock Bob Bullock Robert Douglas Bullock, known as Bob Bullock , was a Democratic politician from Texas, whose career spanned four decades. His service culminated in his term as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from January 15, 1991–January 19, 1999 during the terms of Governors Ann Richards and George W... |
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| 46 | George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... |
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January 17, 1995 | December 21, 2000 | Republican | Bob Bullock Bob Bullock Robert Douglas Bullock, known as Bob Bullock , was a Democratic politician from Texas, whose career spanned four decades. His service culminated in his term as Lieutenant Governor of Texas from January 15, 1991–January 19, 1999 during the terms of Governors Ann Richards and George W... (1995–99) |
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| Rick Perry Rick Perry James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full... (1999–2000) |
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| 47 | Rick Perry Rick Perry James Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full... |
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December 21, 2000 | Incumbent | Republican | Bill Ratliff Bill Ratliff William Roark Ratliff, known as Bill Ratliff , is a Texas politician who served as a member of the Texas State Senate from 1988 to 2004. Between 2000 and 2003 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, after former lieutenant governor Rick Perry succeeded to the governorship to replace George W... (acting) (2000–03) |
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| David Dewhurst David Dewhurst David Dewhurst is the 41st and current Lieutenant Governor of Texas, serving under Governor Rick Perry since January 21, 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Texas Land Commissioner from 1999 to 2003. Dewhurst announced on July 18, 2011, that he was running for the... (2003–present) |
Other high offices held
| Name | Gubernatorial Term | Other High Offices Held |
|---|---|---|
| Price Daniel Price Daniel Marion Price Daniel, Sr. , was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the National Security Council, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Assistant to the President for Federal-State... |
1957–1963 | U.S. Senator (1953–1957) |
| John Connally John Connally John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in... |
1963–1969 | U.S. Secretary of the Navy (1961) U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (1971–1972) |
| Bill Clements Bill Clements William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction... |
1979 - 1983 1987 - 1991 |
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense (1971–1977) |
| George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... |
1995–2000 | 43rd President of the United States President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... (2001–2009) |
Living former governors
, two former governors were living. The most recent death of a former governor was that of Bill ClementsBill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
(1979–1983, 1987–1991), on May 29, 2011. The most recent governor to serve who has died is Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
(1991–1995), who died on September 13, 2006.
| Name | Gubernatorial term | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Mark White Mark White Mark Wells White is an American lawyer, who served as the 43rd Governor of Texas from January 18,1983-January 20,1987.-Biography:... |
1983–1987 | 17 March 1940 (age 71) |
| George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... |
1995–2000 | 6 July 1946 (age 65) |
Gubernatorial trivia
Background
Texas has had two female governors: Miriam A. "Ma" FergusonMiriam A. Ferguson
Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:...
and Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
. Ferguson was one of the first two women elected governor of a U.S. state (on November 4, 1924), along with Nellie Tayloe Ross
Nellie Tayloe Ross
Nellie Tayloe Ross was an American politician, the 14th Governor of Wyoming from 1925 to 1927, and director of the United States Mint from 1933-1953. She was the first woman to serve as governor of a U.S. state. To date, she remains the only woman to have served as governor of Wyoming...
of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. Ross was inaugurated on January 5, 1925, while Ferguson was inaugurated on January 20, so Ross is considered the first female state governor. Ferguson was the wife of former governor Jim "Pa" Ferguson
James E. Ferguson
James Edward "Pa" Ferguson, Jr. , was a Democratic politician from the state of Texas.- Early life :Ferguson was born to the Reverend James Ferguson, Sr., and Fannie Ferguson near Salado in south Bell County, Texas. He entered Salado College at age twelve but was eventually expelled for...
, while Richards was elected "in her own right," being neither the spouse nor widow of a governor.
Texas governors have been born in fourteen states: Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Texas, and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
is the most common alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of Texas governors, with five of them - Lawrence Sullivan Ross
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross was the 19th Governor of Texas , a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and a president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now called Texas A&M University.Ross was raised in the Republic of Texas, which was later annexed to...
, Pat Morris Neff
Pat Morris Neff
Pat Morris Neff was the 28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925 and 9th President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947.-Early life:...
, Price Daniel
Price Daniel
Marion Price Daniel, Sr. , was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the National Security Council, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Assistant to the President for Federal-State...
, Mark White
Mark White
Mark Wells White is an American lawyer, who served as the 43rd Governor of Texas from January 18,1983-January 20,1987.-Biography:...
, and Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
- considered alumni (though Ross attended but never completed a degree). To date, Coke Stevenson is the most recent governor who never attended college, and Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
is the most recent who attended college but did not graduate.
Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
is possibly most famous for insulting her fellow Texan Vice-President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
during his 1988 presidential campaign, drawling to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
"Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver FOOT in his mouth!". The insult clearly did not stick, as Bush defeated Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
by a respectable margin. Ironically, seven years later, she found herself expelled from the Governor's office with her defeat in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election by the former President's eldest son, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Elections
Three governors have served non-consecutive terms: Elisha M. PeaseElisha M. Pease
Elisha Marshall Pease was a U.S. politician from the 1830s through the 1870s. He served as the fifth and 13th Governor of Texas .A native of Enfield, Connecticut, Pease moved to Mexican Texas in 1835...
, Miriam A. Ferguson
Miriam A. Ferguson
Miriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:...
, and Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
. As was the case in most Southern states, Texas elected no Republican governors from the end of Reconstruction until the late twentieth century. Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
was the state's first Republican governor since Edmund J. Davis
Edmund J. Davis
Edmund Jackson Davis was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician. He was a Southern Unionist and served as a Union general in the American Civil War, besides serving one term as the 14th Governor of Texas.-Early years:...
left office in 1874, 105 years earlier. Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
was the last governor to be elected to a two-year term, in 1972; he was also the first to be elected to a four-year term, in 1974, since the post-Reconstruction period when two-year terms had first been established.
Texas governors in popular culture
W. Lee "Pappy" O'DanielW. Lee O'Daniel
Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, , was a conservative Democratic Party politician from Texas, who came to prominence by hosting a popular radio program. Known for his populist appeal, Pappy O'Daniel was the governor of Texas and later its junior U.S. Senator. He is also the only person ever to have...
served as the inspiration for the fictional, but similarly named Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Governor Menelaus "Pappy" O'Daniel in the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning. Set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, the film's story is a modern satire loosely...
.
Ann Richards
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
had a cameo appearance on an episode of the animated comedy series King of the Hill, in which she has a brief romance with Bill Dauterive after he takes the fall for mooning her in the elevator of an Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
hotel (Hank actually mooned her because he thought his friends were going to be mooning the people in the elevator but they set him up).