The book Governors and Legislatures Contending Powers by Alan Rosenthal addresses the American Governor and his roll with state legislatures. The book examines the powers of governors and how each state differs in the amount of freedom it gives it's chief executive. Rosenthal also adresses the evolving relationship between governors and the state legislators that they share power with. Finally the book adresses the different functions of governors such as budget preparation and legislation initiation. …showed first 75 words of 3078 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3078 total…them by becoming the "chief legislator as well" (Rosenthal, 36). Because so much of state politics, or politics in general, is media relations and public opinion, the ability of governors to gain credit for legislative victories is increasingly important. Rosenthal argues that a successful governor must attempt to both cooperate with legistors and manipulate them as well. Although this balance is hard to achieve, not doing so will result in less successful administration for a governor.