| Governor of Texas | |
|---|---|
 Gubernatorial seal | |
 Gubernatorial standard | |
 | |
| Style |
|
| Residence | Texas Governor's Mansion |
| Term length | Four years, no term limit |
| Inaugural holder | James Pinckney Henderson 1846 |
| Formation | Texas Constitution |
| Salary | $150,000 (2013)[1] |
| Website | gov |
The governor of Texas is the head of government of the U.S. state of Texas. The incumbent, Greg Abbott, is the forty-eighth governor to serve in the office since Texas' statehood in 1845.
When compared to those of other states, the governorship of Texas has been described as one of relative weakness.[2][3] In some respects, it is the lieutenant governor of Texas, who presides over the Texas Senate, who possesses greater influence to exercise their prerogatives.[2][3]
Rick Perry is the longest-serving governor, having assumed the governorship in 2000 upon the exit of George W. Bush, who resigned to take office as the 43rd president of the United States. Perry was elected in 2002 and he was re-elected in 2006 and 2010 serving for 14 years before choosing to retire in 2014.
Allan Shivers assumed the governorship upon the death of Beauford Jester in July 1949 and was elected in 1950 and re-elected in 1952 and 1954, serving for 7+1⁄2 years, making him the third longest serving governor before choosing to retire in 1956. Price Daniel was elected to the governorship in 1956 and re-elected in 1958 and 1960 before losing his re-election for an unprecedented fourth term in the 1962 Democratic primary, missing the runoff. John Connally was elected in 1962 and re-elected in 1964 and 1966 before choosing to retire in 1968, leaving office on January 21, 1969. Bill Clements served two non-consecutive four-year terms, having been elected in 1978 but lost re-election in 1982 before winning re-election in 1986, choosing to retire in 1990, previously held the record as the second longest-serving governor: both of Shivers and Clements' records were surpassed by Perry.
Current governor Greg Abbott was elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and again in 2022. He is the second longest-serving governor and on track to serve 12 years by January 19, 2027.
- ^ "CSG Releases 2013 Governor Salaries". The Council of State Governments. June 25, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ a b Suellentrop, Chip (January 5, 2000). "Is George W. Bush a "Weak" Governor?". Slate Magazine - Explainer. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
- ^ a b Ivins, Molly; Lou Dubose (2000). Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush. New York: Vintage Books. pp. xii–xiii. ISBN 0-375-75714-7.