.jpg) Official portrait, 1999 | |
| Governorship of George W. Bush January 17, 1995 – December 21, 2000 | |
| Party | Republican |
|---|---|
| Election | |
| Seat | Governor's Mansion |
 Seal of Texas | |
| ||
|---|---|---|
Business and personal 46th Governor of Texas 43rd President of the United States Tenure Presidential campaigns   | ||
George W. Bush served as the 46thgovernor of Texas from 1995 until 2000, when he resigned as governor amid histransition into the U.S. presidency after having been elected president in the2000 United States presidential election. As governor, Bush successfully sponsored legislation fortort reform, increased education funding, set higher standards for schools, and reformed thecriminal justice system. Bush also pioneeredfaith-based welfare programs and helped makeTexas theleading producer ofwind powered electricity in the U.S. He faced criticism for the high number of executions carried out during his time as governor, and for promoting educational policies which critics argued were ineffective.
With his fatherGeorge H. W. Bush's election to theUnited States presidency in 1988, speculation had arisen amongRepublicans thatGeorge W. Bush would enter the 1990Texas gubernatorial election. This was offset by Bush's purchase of theTexas Rangers baseball team and personal concerns regarding his own record and profile. Bush later declared his candidacy for the 1994 election, the same election cycle that his brotherJeb firstsought the governorship ofFlorida. Winning the Republican primary easily, Bush faced incumbent GovernorAnn Richards, a popularDemocrat who was considered the easy favorite, given Bush's lack of political credentials.
Bush was aided in his campaign by a close coterie of political advisers that includedKaren Hughes, a former journalist who was his communications adviser;Joe Allbaugh, who became his campaign manager, andKarl Rove, a personal friend and political activist who is believed to have been a strong influence in encouraging Bush to enter the election. Bush's aides crafted a campaign strategy that attacked Governor Richards' record on law enforcement, her political appointments, and her support of liberal political causes. Bush developed a positive image and message with themes of "personal responsibility" and "moral leadership." His campaign focused on issues such as education (seeking more accountability for schools over student performance), crime, deregulation of the economy, andtort reform. In the course of the campaign, Bush pledged to sign a bill allowing Texans to obtainpermits to carry concealed weapons. Richards had vetoed the bill, but Bush signed it into law after he became governor.[1]
Following an impressive performance in the debates, Bush's popularity grew.[2] He won with 54.1 percent against Richards' 45.9 percent.[3]
As a popular governor, Bush won re-election in alandslide victory with nearly 69 percent of the vote.
He won 49 percent of the Latino vote and 27 percent of the African American vote, becoming the first Texas governor to be elected for two consecutive terms sinceDolph Briscoe was re-elected in 1974.[4] Within a year, he had decided to seek the Republican nomination for the Presidency.
Bush presided over 152executions,[5] more than any previous governor in modern American history; critics such asHelen Prejean argue that he failed to give serious consideration toclemency requests.[6] The only death sentence Bushcommuted tolife imprisonment was for serial killerHenry Lee Lucas because of lingering doubts about his guilt in the so-called "Orange Socks" (identified in 2019 as Debra Jackson) murder inGeorgetown, Texas in 1979.[7][8]
Seeking to reduce high property taxes to benefit homeowners while increasing general education funding, Bush sought to create business taxes, but faced vigorous opposition from his own party and the private sector. Failing to obtain political consensus for his proposal, Bush used a budget surplus to push through a $2 billiontax-cut plan, which was the largest in Texas history and cemented Bush's credentials as a pro-business fiscal conservative.[9] To pay for the tax cuts, he sought federal approval of a plan to privatize Texas' social services.
Bush also helped makeTexas theleading producer ofwind powered electricity in the U.S.[10][11] In 1996, Bush made wind power a key facet of Texas' renewable energy policy.[citation needed][12][13][14] Under a 1999 Texas state law, electric retailers are obliged to buy acertain amount of energy from renewable sources (RPS),[15][16][17][18] This environmentally progressive legislation is a counterpoint to theenergy policies of his presidency that favored thestatus quo.[19][11]
Bush also extended government funding for organizations providing education on the dangers of alcohol anddrug use and abuse, and helping to reducedomestic violence.[20] As governor, he reached out to religious leaders such asKirbyjon Caldwell (who would later offer the official benediction at Bush's presidential inauguration). He signed a memorandum on April 17, 2000 proclaiming June 10 to beJesus Day in Texas, a day where he "urge[d] all Texans to answer the call to serve those in need."[21] Although Bush was criticized for allegedly violating theEstablishment Clause of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"), his initiative was popular with most people across the state, especially religious and social conservatives. In the1996 United States presidential election, Bush criticized Republican nomineeBob Dole for trying to bringPro-choice advocates into the party.[22]
Texas had a mediocre record in terms of public education, and as Governor Bush made it a high priority to improve the system. He supported local control of schools, higher educational standards, and an updated academic curriculum. His program featured standardized testing, school accountability, and funding increases. He supported efforts to ensure all students could read by third grade and backed a law to end automatic grade promotion without meeting standards. His administration helped revise Texas’ education code, aiming to simplify regulations. While his leadership was praised for maintaining reforms initiated before his tenure, some critics pointed to stagnant test scores, high dropout rates, and concerns about the impact of high-stakes testing on minority students.[23][24]
Bush, running for president. in 2000, boasted about his accomplishments regarding Texas education and promised to expand them to the whole country. He adopted the slogan "No Child Left Behind."[25]
Right after his re-election, Bush named insurance commissionerElton Bomer, a Democrat fromAnderson County in East Texas, as the newTexas Secretary of State. He also appointedMichael L. Williams to theTexas Railroad Commission in 1999 upon the resignation ofCarole Keeton Strayhorn (who was known as Carole Keeton Rylander at the time), who resigned following her election asComptroller of Public Accounts in 1998.
Williams became the first African American to serve in an executive statewide office, and easily won a special election in 2000 for an unexpired term and was re-elected to six-year terms in 2002 and 2008.
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Duringhis presidential transition, Bush resigned from the governorship on December 21, 2000.
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{{cite magazine}}:Cite magazine requires|magazine= (help)After being forward thinking with his wind initiative in Texas, Mr. Bush was somewhat less pro-renewable energy as President
we like wind. Go get smart on wind
