Governors, just like American presidents, face a singular disadvantage when it comes to lawmaking. Though the public may look to governors to lead their states, credit them with any successes, and hold them accountable for most failures, state constitutions strip governors of any direct power to craft legislation. Legislators in this country hold a monopoly over the power to introduce, amend, and pass bills, giving them the ability to write laws and then present them as take-it-or-leave-it offers to America's chief executives. A governor's only formal legislative power is a reactive one – the ability to veto or sign bills that are passed by the other branch – and comes at the end of the lawmaking process.

The dynamics of this relationship can be seen in the logistics of the annual rituals that bring the branches together. When presidents lay out legislative agendas in their State of the Union addresses, they head down Pennsylvania Avenue to do so from the speaker's rostrum before a joint session of Congress. Likewise, governors typically deliver their State of the State speeches to lawmakers in their respective legislatures' lower houses. Governors recognize who the home team is when it comes to playing the legislative game and know that their ability to shape policy depends crucially on the actions of the men and women who serve in the legislative branch. With respect to many of the formal prerogatives of lawmaking, each state's chief executive stands behind even the most junior rank-and-file legislator.