the.com/lieutenant governor

means The second-highest executive officer of a U.S. state, who takes over if the governor can't serve and otherwise handles whatever ceremonial or legislative duties the job description allows.

from Lieutenant comes from French, literally 'place-holder' — lieu ('place') plus tenant ('holding'), someone who holds a position in another's stead. Governor traces back through French gouverneur to Latin gubernator, 'helmsman, steerer,' from gubernare, 'to steer a ship' (the same root that gives us 'govern' and, via a very different route, 'cybernetics'). Put together, the title literally means 'one who holds the place of the steersman' — which explains the job perfectly: you grip the wheel only when the actual pilot lets go.