The governor's relationship with the General Assembly has typically been the determining factor in his success at enacting his agenda, although other factors also play an important role.
In most of Indiana's history, the governor has come to power at a time in which his party controlled the assembly.
Since the political parties first became dominant in 1831 and until 2010, thirty-three sessions of the legislature have been divided with different parties controlling the House and Senate.
Only five sessions have occurred where the legislature was entirely controlled by the opposition party, while in ninety-eight sessions the governor's party controlled the entire assembly.

Governors who had previously been legislators have generally had greater success in achieving their legislative goals while governor.
Three speakers of the house have become governor.
Governor Joseph A. Wright had the worst relations of any governor with the assembly.
He twice delivered speeches to a joint session where he harangued them for what he perceived to be corruption, accusing them of taking bribes from the Bank of Indiana.
The legislature responded by overriding all his anti-banking vetoes.
He was so disliked by his own party that he was expelled from it after his term.
The governor's relationship with the General Assembly has typically been the determining factor in his success at enacting his agenda, although other factors also play an important role. In most of Indiana's history, the governor has come to power at a time in which his party controlled the assembly. Since the political parties first became dominant in 1831 and until 2010, thirty-three sessions of the legislature have been divided with different parties controlling the House and Senate. Only five sessions have occurred where the legislature was entirely controlled by the opposition party, while in ninety-eight sessions the governor's party controlled the entire assembly.
Governors who had previously been legislators have generally had greater success in achieving their legislative goals while governor. Three speakers of the house have become governor. Governor Joseph A. Wright had the worst relations of any governor with the assembly. He twice delivered speeches to a joint session where he harangued them for what he perceived to be corruption, accusing them of taking bribes from the Bank of Indiana. The legislature responded by overriding all his anti-banking vetoes. He was so disliked by his own party that he was expelled from it after his term.
Governor of Indiana