Question 1

In 2014,________ was elected governor of Texas.

Accepted Answer

Greg Abbott was elected governor of Texas in 2014. Wendy Davis was the Democratic nominee, but she lost to Abbott in the election. Rick Perry was the previous governor of Texas, but he did not run for re-election in 2014. Bill Clements was also a former governor of Texas but he passed away in 2011, so he was not a candidate in the 2014 election.

Question 2

In Texas,the only constitutional method of removing a governor from office is by ________ and conviction.

Accepted Answer

According to the Texas Constitution, the only way to remove a governor from office is through impeachment by the Texas House of Representatives and conviction by a two-thirds vote of the Texas Senate. There is no provision for recall in the Texas Constitution, and a judicial proceeding alone is not sufficient for removal.

Question 3

The Texas Constitution of ________ placed strict limits on the governor's ability to control the people appointed to office and almost eliminated the possibility that appointees to office could be removed.

Accepted Answer

The Texas Constitution of 1876 was the one that placed strict limits on the governor's ability to control appointed officials and made it difficult to remove appointees. The constitutions of 1836 and 1845 did not have such provisions, while the constitution of 1869 did give the governor more power over appointments and removals but was short-lived and replaced by the 1876 constitution.

Question 4

In Texas,why are gubernatorial elections held in off-years?

Accepted Answer

Gubernatorial elections are held in off-years in Texas so that they will not be influenced by a presidential election. This allows voters to focus specifically on the candidates and issues related to the state, rather than being overwhelmed by the national political climate or distracted by a high-profile presidential race.

Question 5

Governors can be quite powerful in spite of the weaknesses of the office by doing all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Governors do not have the power to file legislative bills; this is typically the responsibility of legislators.

Question 6

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas following Reconstruction,and when was he or she elected?

Accepted Answer

William Clements was the first Republican governor of Texas following Reconstruction, elected in 1978.

Question 7

The Texas governor was very powerful,and many regarded state government as oppressive and corrupt,under which constitution?

Accepted Answer

The Reconstruction Constitution of 1869 was known for giving the governor of Texas significant power and causing many to view state government as oppressive and corrupt. This constitution was adopted during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War and was intended to bring the Southern states back into the Union while ensuring equal rights for African Americans. However, its provisions also led to significant centralization of power in the state government, particularly in the office of the governor.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a qualification a person would need to be a viable candidate for governor of Texas?

Accepted Answer

While being born in Texas may be an advantage, it is not a requirement to be a viable candidate for governor of Texas. The other listed qualifications are essential, such as being at least 30 years old, having prior political experience, and being a U.S. citizen.

Question 9

Constitutionally,a state-of-the-state message must be given by the governor

Accepted Answer

According to most state constitutions, a state-of-the-state message must be given by the governor at the beginning of each legislative session. This is typically done to inform the legislature and the public about the governor's priorities and goals for the upcoming legislative session.

Question 10

Which of the following is/are informal criterion/criteria for becoming governor?

Accepted Answer

All of these criteria are historically true, but they are informal and not official criteria for becoming a governor. In recent years, there has been increased diversity in the governorship as more women and people of color have been elected. However, historically, most governors have been white, male, and Protestant.

Question 11

What do some argue is the one advantage of a plural executive in Texas?

Accepted Answer

The advantage of a plural executive in Texas is that it constrains the governor in the pursuit of excessive policies. With multiple elected officials, the power of the governor is limited, and the likelihood of abuse of power is decreased.

Question 12

The Texas governor is ranked ________ among other states in overall institutional powers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Texas governor is ranked ________ among...

Question 13

The governor may be removed from office only by impeachment with conviction by the

Accepted Answer

According to the US Constitution, the governor may be removed from office only through the process of impeachment initiated by the House of Representatives and the conviction by the Senate. The judiciary and attorney general are not directly involved in the impeachment process.

Question 14

The governor of Texas has

Accepted Answer

The governor of Texas has relatively few formal powers compared to governors in other states, making the office one of the weakest chief executive positions in the United States. This is due to the state's constitution and political culture, which emphasize a decentralized government and the distribution of power among various elected officials.

Question 15

Prior to ________,Texas governors were elected to two-year terms,with most being elected to a maximum of two consecutive two-year terms.Since then,governors have been able to get elected to unlimited four-year terms.

Accepted Answer

In 1974, the Texas Constitution was amended to change the governor's term from two years to four years, allowing governors to serve unlimited terms.

Question 16

Why is the Texas governor's power exceptionally weak as compared to that of the governors of some other states?

Accepted Answer

Texas has a plural executive system, which means that the governor shares power with several other elected officials, such as the lieutenant governor, attorney general, and comptroller. This system limits the governor's power as they cannot appoint or remove heads of agencies or rely solely on their executive branch for decision making. The other options - lack of a line-item veto, inability to appoint any administrative heads, and tenure limits - are factors that limit the governor's power to some degree, but they are not the primary reason for the governor's weak power in Texas.

Question 17

Who was the longest-serving governor in the history of Texas?

Accepted Answer

Rick Perry served as the Governor of Texas for a record 14 years, from 2000 to 2014. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Question 18

In the history of Texas,the only other female governor other than Miriam Ferguson was

Accepted Answer

Ann Richards served as the governor of Texas from 1991-1995 and was known for being a strong advocate for women's and minority rights. Kay Bailey Hutchison is a former US Senator from Texas, Barbara Bush was the wife of President George H.W. Bush, and Barbara Jordan was a US Representative from Texas, but none of them served as governor of the state.

Question 19

The Texas governor only has the ________ on appropriations bills.

Accepted Answer

The Texas governor only has the power to use a line-item veto on appropriations bills, which means they can veto specific parts or expenditures within the bill without vetoing the entire bill. They do not have the power of a pocket veto or post-veto, and while they can threaten a veto, their only actual power is the line-item veto.

Question 20

Which term best describes the executive branch?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which term best describes the executive branch?
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Quiz 8: The Executive Branch