A successful governor encourages the passage of legislation consistent with his or her political agenda and successfully prevents legislation at odds with this agenda. The Texas Constitution, however, grants the Governor precious few formal tools for managing this relationship. The Constitution requires the chief executive to establish a basic level of communication with the Legislature by mandating that the Governor deliver an opening, budget, and closing message to the Legislature.

Successful governors use personal influence, their staff, and lobbyists to manage relations with the legislature during the session. As governors have become able to use mass electronic media, primarily television, to build political support, they have gained a powerful source of additional influence in their bargaining relationships with legislators. A governor, however, must still be skillful in using the basic institutional channels of influencing the legislature to achieve political and policy successes.