Editor’s note: To help readers learn more about the candidates running for statewide seats, The Texas Tribune is sharing information about the Republican, Democratic and third-party candidates. For more information on midterms and the voting process, check out our election resources here.
About the elected seat: The lieutenant governor, Texas’ second-highest state executive, presides over the state Senate and, in that role, largely controls the flow of legislation in the chamber. Because of this, the office is often described as the most powerful in Texas government. The Senate’s rules put the lieutenant governor in charge of the chamber’s agenda and standing committees, along with the power to break ties and decide procedural questions. Taken together, this gives the office significant influence over which bills make it to the governor’s desk and how much clout each senator wields. Additionally, the lieutenant governor co-chairs the Legislative Budget Board, which develops the state budget, and sits on the Legislative Redistricting Board, which is in charge of redrawing political maps if the Legislature fails to do so.
