So he could tend to the business of transition and be free to take the oath of office as the 43rd president of the United States on Jan. 20, Bush resigned as governor of Texas.
That created a vacancy, into which stepped the lieutenant governor, then Rick Perry.
When Perry was sworn in as the new governor last week, that created a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor – considered by many to be even more powerful than that of governor.
That's because the lieutenant governor's real job is presiding over the state Senate, far more significant than a mere parliamentary office.
The lieutenant governor has the power to decide who will and who won't head committees and what legislation is brought forth before the Senate or killed in infancy.
Like the vice president of the United States, who is also the president of the U.S. Senate, the Texas lieutenant governor is empowered to cast tie-breaking votes.
On Thursday, members of the Texas Senate voted to give that job to Bill Ratliff of Mount Pleasant. It was not without contest or public controversy.
A little background:
Ratliff defeated state Sen. David Sibley of Waco.
Both are Republicans, as are the previous lieutenant governor, now the new governor, and his predecessor, now the next president of the United States.
That's a lot of Texas-style power-shaking going on.
Nor was the press in Texas particularly happy with how the new lieutenant governor was selected – behind closed doors. Reporters like to enjoy front-row seats.
As the Houston Chronicle reported:
Several Texas newspapers and one magazine were arguing that the Texas Open Meetings Act required the senators to vote in public.
In fact they sued, all the way to the Texas Supreme Court, trying to compel the senators to do their politicking and voting in front of the public.
That would have disrupted the decorum of the Senate, the senators argued back. And the highest court in the state agreed – just minutes before the voting was to begin.
To which the Chronicle's executive editor rejoined:
"The Supreme Court of Texas had an opportunity to vote for transparency and accountability in government. Unfortunately, they have endorsed secret government, backroom dealing and who knows what else.
"It's a decision that reeks of political motive."
It there was an aroma in the Senate chamber, it failed to offend the new lieutenant governor.
"I feel very honored," Ratliff said, as a standing ovation greeted the election results, announced like a good sport by the runner-up.
Choking back tears, Ratliff said, "I hope and pray that you believe that your confidence was not misplaced.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the opportunity to show you that I can live up to your confidence."
Actually, the new lieutenant governor isn't the lieutenant governor.
Technically, he's the acting lieutenant governor, because the lieutenant governor is elected in a statewide vote every four years.
This is the first time a Texas lieutenant governor – that is, acting lieutenant governor – has been chosen by the Senate.
But since the acting lieutenant governor will be exercising all the powers of a statewide elected lieutenant governor, no one in Texas is splitting hairs.
Yet.
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