Texas has been pushing to assert its independence as a separate nation from the United States for several years. While on the surface, it seems like a frivolous movement, Texas was, in fact, an independent nation from the time it seceded from Mexico in 1836 until joining the United States nine years later. Recently, momentum has been picking up towards that end from the Texas Nationalist Movement, as they reached an important signature threshold that will get a simple question on the statewide primary ballot for March 2024.
The question, “Should the State of Texas reassert its status as an independent nation?” will gauge interest statewide among Republican voters in the possibility of Texas leaving the United States. The movement, called TEXIT, is looking to gauge interest among Republicans in the state despite being considered a “fringe movement” by Texas state leaders. In response, the TEXIT organizers simply want the question asked on the March ballot so they know where they stand moving forward.
According to the Texas Election Code, the Texas Nationalist Movement would need over 97,000 signatures to get the question on the ballot. Texas Nationalist Movement leader Daniel Miller will allegedly far exceed the required number of signatures. He said: “This weekend we brought a sample of the names, cities, and Senate Districts for over 102,000 petition signers…” The issue has been debated amongst Republicans for a number of years, and now it appears there is enough interest to at least get a question on the ballot.
In a letter sent to the Texas Republican Party, the TEXIT movement stated: “Placing the question on the ballot brings clarity. If, as our detractors say, this is a fringe issue that no one supports, then they should have no resistance to this question being asked of Republican voters. In fact, they should be some of its strongest supporters. If what they say is true, then the results will show that fact, and TEXIT will be a dead issue in the party for a generation.” So, what are the reasons TEXIT would want to strike out on its own?
Technically, there is no Constitutional path for the state to leave the union. Though the state boasts its own power grid, it would still be the longest of long shots to become its own nation. Even if the majority of voters decide they would be in favor of TEXIT, it would still not be legally binding. It would, however, serve as a key win for secession advocates and provide one more stepping stone toward secession.
The most recent push coincides with Texas’ political shift in certain areas. Joe Biden flipped some of the suburban areas outside already blue Dallas and Austin, and there are concerns about the state remaining blood red. Couple that with the infighting currently happening in the GOP, and many in the state are concerned it could turn purple or blue.
Certainly, it is a long shot that Texas could consider seceding, but the organized push may help put the Republicans on notice that all is not well in the party. If Texas swings back blood red in 2024 in a rebuke of Joe Biden, the TEXIT movement could be forgotten. Until then, proponents will continue to consider all options for the future.
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