George W. Bush

== Texas governorship (1995–2000) ==
{{Main|Governorship of George W. Bush}}

Bush declared his candidacy for the [[1994 Texas gubernatorial election]] at the same time his brother Jeb [[1994 Florida gubernatorial election|sought the governorship in Florida]]. His campaign focused on four themes: welfare reform, [[tort reform]], crime reduction, and education improvement.<ref name=msn /> Bush's campaign advisers were [[Karen Hughes]], [[Joe Allbaugh]], and [[Karl Rove]].<ref name="SlaterBrain">{{cite book|last1=Moore|first1=James|title=Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential|last2=Slater|first2=Wayne|publisher=Wiley|year=2003|isbn=978-0-471-42327-0|location=New York|page=210|oclc=51755949}}</ref>

[[File:George H. W. Bush, Laura Bush, George W. Bush 1997.jpg|thumb|Governor Bush (right) with father, former president George H. W. Bush, and wife, Laura, at the dedication of the [[George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum]], 1997]]
After easily winning the Republican primary, Bush faced popular Democratic incumbent Governor [[Ann Richards]].<ref name="msn" /><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |url=https://telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1528876/Ann-Richards.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1528876/Ann-Richards.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Ann Richards |work=The Daily Telegraph|date=September 15, 2005 |access-date=November 25, 2008 |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In the course of the campaign, Bush pledged to sign a bill allowing Texans to obtain [[concealed carry permit|permits to carry concealed weapons]]. Richards had vetoed the bill, but Bush signed it into law after he became governor.<ref name="concealed carry">{{cite news |last=Tapper |first=Jake |author-link=Jake Tapper |date=August 11, 1999 |title=Guns and Money |work=[[Salon.com|Salon]] |url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/08/11/gun/index1.html |access-date=June 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724161725/http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/08/11/gun/index1.html |archive-date=July 24, 2008}}</ref> According to ''[[The Atlantic]]'', the race "featured a rumor that she was a lesbian, along with a rare instance of such a tactic's making it into the public record – when a regional chairman of the Bush campaign allowed himself, perhaps inadvertently, to be quoted criticizing Richards for 'appointing avowed [[LGBT social movements|homosexual activists]]' to state jobs".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200411/green/3 |work=The Atlantic |title=Karl Rove in a Corner |first=Joshua |last=Green |date=November 2004 |access-date=November 25, 2008 |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724161725/http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200411/green/3 }}</ref> ''The Atlantic'', and others, connected the lesbian rumor to Karl Rove,<ref>{{cite news |author=Edward Epstein, Chronicle Washington Bureau |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/29/MNG62FG6UM1.DTL |title=CIA Leak Probe: Libby Indicted / Powerful aide Rove could still feel heat from investigation |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=October 29, 2005 |access-date=January 22, 2009 |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724161725/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2005%2F10%2F29%2FMNG62FG6UM1.DTL }}</ref> but Rove denied being involved.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2004-09-16/news/don-t-mess-with-texas/ |title=Los Angeles News – Don't Mess With Texas – page 1 |publisher=LA Weekly |date=September 16, 2004 |access-date=January 22, 2009 |archive-date=August 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814034752/http://www.laweekly.com/2004-09-16/news/don-t-mess-with-texas/ }}</ref> Bush won the general election with 53.5 percent against Richards' 45.9 percent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/uploads/gov1845-2010table.pdf |publisher=Texas Almanac |title=Elections of Texas Governors, 1845–2010 |access-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113075644/https://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/uploads/gov1845-2010table.pdf |url-status=live }};<br />{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=MSN Encarta |title=George Bush |archive-date=November 1, 2009 |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/George_Bush.html |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5kwppnbYX?url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761581479/george_bush.html }}</ref>

Bush used a budget surplus to push through Texas's largest tax cut, $2{{nbs}}billion.<ref name="SlaterBrain" /> He extended government funding for organizations providing education on the dangers of alcohol and drug use and abuse, and helping to reduce [[domestic violence]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL30871_20100226.pdf |title=Violence Against Women Act: History and Federal Funding |date=December 1, 2005 |publisher=[[Congressional Research Service]] – The Library of Congress |access-date=May 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523120736/http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL30871_20100226.pdf |archive-date=May 23, 2013 }}</ref> Critics contended that during his tenure, Texas ranked near the bottom in environmental evaluations. Supporters pointed to his efforts to raise the salaries of teachers and improve educational test scores.<ref name=msn />

In 1999, Bush signed a law that required electric retailers to buy a [[Renewable portfolio standard|certain amount of energy from renewable sources]] (RPS),<ref name=txlaw>[http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=76R&Bill=SB7 SB7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200446/http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=76R&Bill=SB7 |date=September 23, 2015 }} [http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/76R/billtext/html/SB00007I.htm Law text] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200517/http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/76R/billtext/html/SB00007I.htm |date=September 23, 2015 }}''Texas Legislature Online'', May 1999. Retrieved September 24, 2011.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re/rps-portfolio.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304211930/http://seco.cpa.state.tx.us/re/rps-portfolio.php |archive-date=March 4, 2013 |title=Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard |publisher=Texas State Energy Conservation Office |access-date=September 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pewclimate.org/node/4120 |title=Texas Renewable Portfolio Standard |publisher=Pew Center on Global Climate Change |date=September 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427041158/http://www.pewclimate.org/node/4120 |archive-date=April 27, 2012 }}</ref> which helped [[Wind power in Texas|Texas]] eventually become the [[Wind power in the United States|leading producer]] of [[wind power]]ed electricity in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.repoweramerica.org/states/texas/wind-power-in-texas/|title=It's Not Just Oil: Wind Power Approaches 8% of Texas Electricity in 2010|last=Koronowski|first=Ryan|date=January 19, 2011|access-date=September 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113144117/http://www.repoweramerica.org/states/texas/wind-power-in-texas/|archive-date=January 13, 2012}}</ref><ref name="mighty wind">{{cite news|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/mighty-wind/page/0/4|title=A mighty wind|author1=Galbraith, Kate |author2=Price, Asher|date=August 2011|newspaper=[[Texas Monthly]]|access-date=February 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302191954/http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/mighty-wind/page/0/4|archive-date=March 2, 2014|page=5|issn=0148-7736}}</ref><ref name="sector">{{cite web |date=July 28, 2011 |url=http://windsector.tumblr.com/post/8182421573/swift-boats-and-texas-wind |title=Swift Boats and Texas Wind |publisher=Windsector.tumblr.com |access-date=July 31, 2012 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118182319/http://windsector.tumblr.com/post/8182421573/swift-boats-and-texas-wind }}</ref>

In [[1998 Texas gubernatorial election|1998]], Bush won re-election with a record<ref name=msn /> 69 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=November 3, 1998 |access-date=June 30, 2006 |url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/governors/texas |title=Texas Gov. George W. Bush wins in landslide |publisher=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060706163647/http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/governors/texas/ |archive-date=July 6, 2006 }}</ref> He became the first governor in Texas history to be elected to two consecutive four-year terms.<ref name=msn /> In his second term, Bush promoted faith-based organizations and enjoyed high [[approval rating]]s, which peaked at 81 percent in 1999.<ref name=msn /><ref>{{cite news |date=November 4, 2000 |access-date=August 9, 2023 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-gov-bushs-job/129731226/ |title=Gov. Bush's job approval rating falls |last=Douglas |first=Jack Jr. |newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811155827/https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-gov-bushs-job/129731226/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He proclaimed June 10, 2000, to be [[Jesus Day]] in Texas, a day on which he urged all Texans to "answer the call to serve those in need".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/readings/jesusdaymemo.html|title=Readings – The Jesus Day Proclamation {{!}} The Jesus Factor|date=April 29, 2004|website=Frontline|publisher=WGBH Educational Foundation|access-date=November 17, 2019|archive-date=November 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117170611/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/readings/jesusdaymemo.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Throughout Bush's first term, he was the focus of national attention as a potential future presidential candidate. Following his re-election, speculation soared, and within a year he decided to seek the 2000 Republican presidential nomination.<ref name=msn />