# Power Rankings in Texas

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 13, 2000, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487 "2000-03-13T09:31:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![billehunt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@billehunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billehunt)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487/1 "2000-03-13T09:31:00Z")

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The NY Times reported today:

> [@](#):
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> Questioning Bush’s experience and capacity to serve as president after 1 1/2 terms as governor, Gore emphasized that, in Texas, the governor is actually the fifth least powerful statewide official.

(I’m assuming they meant fifth **most** powerful, but that’s not my question.)

Anyone know what this is a reference to? What is the ranking of power in Texas? And what is a typical ranking in a US state? Are US Senators and Reps from the State considered? How about State Supreme Court Justices? I’ve always considered these Apples and Oranges, like on the Federal Level: Who has more power, the President or the Chief Justice? Academic; they’re supposed to be equal and counter-balancing.

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**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487/2 "2000-03-13T14:23:00Z")

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No, they’re only considering state officials, not federal officials who come from Texas. I don’t remember offhand who the other officials are though.

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**Author:** ![Kepi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kepi/32/7251_2.png) [@Kepi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepi)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487/3 "2000-03-13T15:12:00Z")

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I’ve always heard that the Governor here in Texas is more of a figurehead with little power. The real power lies with the Lieutenant Governor because he (or she) controls the legislative process as president of the state Senate and actually participates in the legislative process as a voting member. The others, I assume, probably include the state Speaker of the House (controls the legislative process along with the Lieutenant Governor), the Comptroller (controls the state funds), and the state Attorney General - although I’m just speculating on the last two.

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**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487/4 "2000-03-13T16:16:00Z")

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I remember reading that when Martinez, former mayor of Tampa, became Governor of Florida, he was somewhat unsettled to find that the Governor had less power than he had as mayor (within their respective jurisdictions, of course). In terms of actually being able to get things done by force of character, it certainly seems plausible.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2000, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/power-rankings-in-texas/8487/5 "2000-03-14T06:08:00Z")

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A little known tradition of the Texas political system is the post-election day wrestling tournament, where all of the newly elected officials establish their rankings for the upcoming term.