Who Runs Texas?
Five people hold most of the power in Austin: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Comptroller Don Huffines. All five are Republicans. The Texas Constitution splits the executive branch among officers elected on their own. The governor does not appoint the lieutenant governor, the attorney general or the comptroller, and each answers to voters (Texas Constitution, art. IV, sec. 1-2).
Texas leaders, September 2026
Source: Ballotpedia officeholder pages; Texas Constitution, art. III, sec. 9, and art. IV
Key facts
- Governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller are all on the November 3, 2026 ballot (Texas Tribune).
- The Legislature meets every two years for up to 140 days. The next regular session opens January 12, 2027 (Government Code 301.001).
- Legislators are paid $600 a month, $7,200 a year, set in the constitution (art. III, sec. 24). The governor is paid $153,750.
- Republicans hold 18 of 31 Senate seats and 86 of 150 House seats, with 3 vacancies (Ballotpedia, September 2026).
Who Is the Governor of Texas?
Greg Abbott, a Republican, has been governor of Texas since January 20, 2015, making 2026 his 12th year in office. Before that he was attorney general from 2002 to 2015 and a Texas Supreme Court justice (Ballotpedia). His third term ends January 19, 2027.
The governor’s biggest tools come from the constitution (art. IV):
- The veto. The governor can veto any bill. Lawmakers can override only with two-thirds of each chamber, and a veto after the session ends cannot be overridden because the Legislature is gone (sec. 14).
- The line-item veto. The governor can strike single spending items from the budget and sign the rest (sec. 14).
- Special sessions. Only the governor can call the Legislature back between regular sessions, and only on subjects the governor names (sec. 8; art. III, sec. 40).
- Appointments. The governor fills most vacant state and district offices, with two-thirds of the Senate confirming (sec. 12).
- Texas Supreme Court Appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by Gov. George W. Bush, serving until 2001. (source)
- Elected attorney general Elected attorney general of Texas, and reelected in 2006 and 2010. (source)
- Becomes governor Took office as governor. (source)
- Wins a third term Won a third term over Democrat Beto O'Rourke, 54.8% to 43.9%. (source)
- Signs the voucher law Signed SB 2, creating Texas Education Freedom Accounts for private school costs. (source)
- Vetoes the THC ban Vetoed SB 3, which would have banned THC in consumable hemp products. (source)
- Signs the new congressional map Signed a mid-decade congressional map, passed in a special session he called. (source)
- Wins the 2026 primary Won the Republican primary for a fourth term with 81.8% of the vote. (source)
- Appoints a comptroller Appointed Don Huffines comptroller after Kelly Hancock resigned. (source)
Sources: Ballotpedia; Texas Legislature Online; All About Redistricting. Record checked September 28, 2026.
Greg Abbott's Public Record, Key Dates: 1996: Texas Supreme Court (Appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by Gov. George W. Bush, serving until 2001.). 2002: Elected attorney general (Elected attorney general of Texas, and reelected in 2006 and 2010.). January 20, 2015: Becomes governor (Took office as governor.). November 8, 2022: Wins a third term (Won a third term over Democrat Beto O'Rourke, 54.8% to 43.9%.). May 3, 2025: Signs the voucher law (Signed SB 2, creating Texas Education Freedom Accounts for private school costs.). June 22, 2025: Vetoes the THC ban (Vetoed SB 3, which would have banned THC in consumable hemp products.). August 29, 2025: Signs the new congressional map (Signed a mid-decade congressional map, passed in a special session he called.). March 3, 2026: Wins the 2026 primary (Won the Republican primary for a fourth term with 81.8% of the vote.). July 2, 2026: Appoints a comptroller (Appointed Don Huffines comptroller after Kelly Hancock resigned.).
How Many Terms Can a Texas Governor Serve?
There is no limit. The constitution gives the governor a four-year term and sets no cap on terms (art. IV, sec. 4). A governor must be at least 30, a U.S. citizen, and a Texas resident for the five years before the election. Abbott is seeking a fourth term.
Why the Texas Lieutenant Governor Is So Powerful
The lieutenant governor runs the Texas Senate, which makes the office one of the most powerful in state government. The constitution makes the lieutenant governor president of the Senate (art. IV, sec. 16), and the Senate’s own rules hand that officer control of its business (Senate Rules):
- Committees. The lieutenant governor appoints every Senate committee and names each chair and vice chair (Rules 11.01 and 11.04).
- Referral. The lieutenant governor sends each bill to a committee (Rule 7.06), which can decide whether it gets a hearing.
- The floor. To take up a bill out of order, the Senate needs five-ninths of those present, 18 of 31 when all are there (Rule 5.13).
- The budget. The lieutenant governor and the speaker are joint chairs of the Legislative Budget Board, which writes the draft state budget (Government Code 322.001).
Dan Patrick has held the office since 2015, after eight years in the Texas Senate (Ballotpedia).
- Elected to the Texas Senate Took office in the Texas Senate after a career in broadcasting and talk radio, serving until 2015. (source)
- Elected lieutenant governor Won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor over incumbent David Dewhurst, then the general election. (source)
- Wins a third term Won a third term over Democrat Mike Collier, 53.8% to 43.5%. (source)
- Senate passes the voucher law The Senate he presides over agreed to the House version of SB 2, the school voucher law. (source)
- Wins the 2026 primary Won the Republican primary for a fourth term with 84.7% of the vote. (source)
Sources: Ballotpedia; Texas Legislature Online. Record checked September 28, 2026.
Dan Patrick's Public Record, Key Dates: 2007: Elected to the Texas Senate (Took office in the Texas Senate after a career in broadcasting and talk radio, serving until 2015.). 2014: Elected lieutenant governor (Won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor over incumbent David Dewhurst, then the general election.). November 8, 2022: Wins a third term (Won a third term over Democrat Mike Collier, 53.8% to 43.5%.). April 24, 2025: Senate passes the voucher law (The Senate he presides over agreed to the House version of SB 2, the school voucher law.). March 3, 2026: Wins the 2026 primary (Won the Republican primary for a fourth term with 84.7% of the vote.).
Who Is the Speaker of the Texas House?
Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock, has been speaker since January 14, 2025. He won on the second round of voting, 85-55, over the Republican caucus’s pick, with 49 Democrats and 36 Republicans backing him (Ballotpedia).
The speaker’s power comes from the House rules (H.R. 4, 89th Legislature):
- Referral. The speaker sends every bill to a committee, subject to correction by a majority of the House (rule 1, sec. 4).
- Committees. The speaker names every committee chair and vice chair. On most substantive committees, up to half the members get seats by seniority and the speaker appoints the rest (rule 4, sec. 2).
- Party chairs. Under the 2025 rules, when one party holds a House majority, the speaker must name a member of that party to chair every standing committee and may not name one as vice chair (rule 4, sec. 4A).
Unlike the lieutenant governor, the speaker is chosen by House members, not by voters statewide. The House elects a speaker when each new Legislature first meets (art. III, sec. 9(b)), so the next speaker vote comes in January 2027. Burrows is on the November ballot for his own House seat.
Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker Compared
Where each leader's power comes from
Source: Texas Constitution, art. III and IV; Government Code 322.001; Senate Rules and House Rules, 89th Legislature
What the Attorney General and Comptroller Do
The attorney general is the state’s lawyer, and the comptroller is its tax collector and chief financial officer. Both are elected separately from the governor.
- Attorney general. Ken Paxton has held the office since 2015 and is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, so the office is open in 2026. Our Texas attorney general page covers what the office does and his sourced record.
- Comptroller. The comptroller must give the Legislature a sworn estimate of the money the state will take in before each regular session, and the Legislature cannot pass a budget that spends more than that estimate except by a four-fifths vote (art. III, sec. 49a). The comptroller also runs the new school voucher program. Gov. Abbott appointed Don Huffines to the job on July 2, 2026, after Kelly Hancock, who lost the March primary to Huffines, resigned (Ballotpedia; Texas Tribune).
How Often Does the Texas Legislature Meet?
The Texas Legislature meets every two years, for no more than 140 days. Regular sessions open at noon on the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years (Government Code 301.001; art. III, sec. 24). Between sessions, only the governor can call lawmakers back, for special sessions of up to 30 days each.
- 31
- senators, elected to 4-year terms
- 150
- representatives, elected to 2-year terms
- 140
- days, the most a regular session can run, every other year
- $7,200
- yearly legislator salary, set in the constitution
- Republican (18 seats)
- Democratic (12 seats)
- Vacant (1 seat)
Source: Ballotpedia, Texas State Senate, partisan composition as of September 2026. Five-ninths of 31 is 18 when all members are present.
- Republican (86 seats)
- Democratic (62 seats)
- Vacant (2 seats)
Source: Ballotpedia, Texas House of Representatives, partisan composition as of September 2026. Two-thirds of 150 is 100; the constitution counts two-thirds of members present.
How a Bill Becomes Law in Texas
A Texas bill has to clear a committee and a floor vote in each chamber, then get past the governor, all inside a 140-day session. The leaders above control the choke points.
From Filing to Law, Step by Step
- Filed A member files the bill For the first 60 days, the constitution reserves floor votes for emergency items the governor names, unless four-fifths of a chamber votes otherwise.
- Referral Sent to a committee By the lieutenant governor in the Senate or the speaker in the House.
- Committee Hearing and vote The chair, picked by the presiding officer, decides whether to hold a hearing.
- Floor Read on three days and passed The Senate needs five-ninths of those present to take a bill up out of order, 18 of 31 when all are there.
- Other chamber Same steps again If the two versions differ, a conference committee writes a final version both must approve.
- 10 or 20 days Governor signs, vetoes or waits Ten days (Sundays excepted) during the session, or 20 days after it ends. An unsigned bill becomes law.
- 90 days later Law takes effect Unless two-thirds of each chamber votes for an earlier date.
Sources: Texas Constitution, art. III, sec. 5, 32 and 39, and art. IV, sec. 14; Senate Rules 5.13 and 7.06; House Rules, rule 1, sec. 4.
A veto can be overridden by two-thirds of the members present in each chamber, 21 senators and 100 representatives when all are there (art. IV, sec. 14). A veto issued after the session ends cannot be overridden, because the Legislature has adjourned. In June 2025, Abbott vetoed SB 3, the bill to ban THC in hemp products, after the session ended; our Texas marijuana and THC page covers what followed.
Who Is Running for Texas Governor in 2026?
Republican Greg Abbott, Democrat Gina Hinojosa and Libertarian Pat Dixon are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for governor. Hinojosa has represented House District 49 in the Texas House since 2017. Independent write-in candidates are also certified (Ballotpedia).
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Democratic primary (9 candidates) | K2204 |
| Republican primary (11 candidates) | K2157 |
Source: Ballotpedia, certified results. Abbott won 81.8% of his primary and Hinojosa 58.5% of hers. The Democratic primary drew 46,792 more votes; primary turnout does not predict November results.
The other statewide executive offices on the ballot:
Texas statewide executive races, November 3, 2026
Source: Ballotpedia, 2026 Texas elections; Texas Tribune ballot guide
The lieutenant governor’s race pits Patrick against state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who won a Democratic runoff in May. The attorney general’s seat is open, with Republican Mayes Middleton against Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson (Ballotpedia; attorney general race). The comptroller’s race pits Huffines against Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (Ballotpedia). All 150 House seats and about half the Senate seats are on the ballot too; your county’s sample ballot lists yours.
Need help at the polls? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). If anyone is in danger, call 911.
Who Runs Texas Questions
Who is the governor of Texas?
Greg Abbott, a Republican, has been governor since January 20, 2015. His third four-year term ends January 19, 2027. He is running for a fourth on November 3, 2026.
Who are the 2026 candidates for governor of Texas?
Republican Greg Abbott, Democrat Gina Hinojosa and Libertarian Pat Dixon are on the November 3, 2026 ballot, along with independent write-in candidates. Abbott won his primary with 81.8% and Hinojosa, a state representative, won hers with 58.5% in a field of 9.
How many terms can a Texas governor serve?
There is no limit. The Texas Constitution sets a four-year term and does not cap how many terms a governor can serve. A governor must be at least 30, a U.S. citizen, and a Texas resident for the five years before the election.
Who is the lieutenant governor of Texas?
Dan Patrick, a Republican, has been lieutenant governor since 2015 and is running for a fourth term in 2026 against Democrat Vikki Goodwin. The lieutenant governor presides over the Texas Senate, appoints its committees and chairs, and refers its bills.
Who is the speaker of the Texas House?
Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock, was elected speaker on January 14, 2025, 85-55. The House elects its speaker from its own members when each new Legislature convenes, so the next vote is in January 2027.
How often does the Texas Legislature meet?
Every two years. Regular sessions start the second Tuesday in January of odd-numbered years and can last no more than 140 days. The governor can call special sessions of up to 30 days at any time, limited to subjects the governor names. The next regular session opens January 12, 2027.
What You Can Do
- Find your own legislators. Who Represents Me lists your state senator and representative by address.
- Vote on November 3. The governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller are all on the ballot. Our Texas voting guide covers deadlines and ID.
- Watch the 2027 session. Bills and committee hearings are posted on Texas Legislature Online. Testifying at a committee hearing is open to the public.
- Contact the leaders who control the calendar. A letter to your own members carries the most weight; our letter-writing guide shows how. See why Texas cities have limited power over their own rules.