KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE In almost half the states, governors and lieutenant governors are either nominated separately, or else the official who is next in the line of succession is elected separately. This makes it reasonably common for the governor and lieutenant governor to come from separate parties. Currently, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Vermont fall into this category. Sometimes these pairings work smoothly; other times, they don’t. Even governors and lieutenant governors from the same party can have relationships that range from distant to acrimonious. There are recent examples of this phenomenon in Idaho and Rhode Island. In states where gubernatorial candidates cannot choose their running mates, it may be harder for them to win the governorship in the first place.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE In almost half the states, governors and lieutenant governors are either nominated separately, or else the official who is next in the line of succession is elected separately. This makes it reasonably common for the governor and lieutenant governor to come from separate parties. Currently, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Vermont fall into this category. Sometimes these pairings work smoothly; other times, they don’t. Even governors and lieutenant governors from the same party can have relationships that range from distant to acrimonious. There are recent examples of this phenomenon in Idaho and Rhode Island. In states where gubernatorial candidates cannot choose their running mates, it may be harder for them to win the governorship in the first place.