The U.S. map might look different in 2027 if Texas Republicans have their way.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows released an overview of committee priorities for 2027 last week, and among the items listed was the consideration of absorbing New Mexico counties that want to secede from the state.
The Governmental Oversight Committee, which Burrows created, has been assigned to examine the Texas-New Mexico border and to consider the implications of absorbing New Mexican counties that are trying to break away, Fox 4 reports.
Earlier this year, New Mexico State Representatives Randall Pettigrew and Jimmy Mason introduced a measure that would amend the state’s constitution to establish a means for counties to secede. Their proposal died without going to a hearing.
“New MeX-it,” as the secession plan was called online, caught the attention of Burrows, who supported the idea of Lea County seceding, saying on X that it could come “back to Texas, where it rightfully belongs.”
A spokesperson for New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham’s office told Fox 4 that Texas can do whatever studies it wants, but it has no intention of shedding counties to its eastern neighbor.
“We have every intention of keeping the great state of New Mexico fully intact, but Texas can study it all they want,” the spokesperson told Fox 4. “While they’re at it, they could also study how New Mexico has reduced methane emissions in the Permian Basin by half compared to their state. If Texas followed our lead, it would be a win-win for Texans and the planet.”
The secession movement is led by New Mexico Republicans who cite a cultural disconnect between their counties and the state capital, which is controlled by Democrats.
“Southeast New Mexico deserves a real voice in its own future, not one dictated by Santa Fe. It’s a conservative, energy-rich region with a fierce independent streak, and West Texas has shown what’s possible when you respect oil and gas, protect property rights, and trust local communities,” Burrows wrote in a statement.
He continued, saying the “conversation is ultimately about culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins.”
Texas actually taking New Mexican counties seems like a long-shot proposal. Democrats control both chambers of the New Mexico legislature and the statehouse. Republicans outside of the seceding counties would effectively be voting to weaken their own party’s strength in the state if they backed the play, as they would lose legislative districts and thus voting power to Texas.
Until a new secession amendment is introduced, Texas’ study will remain an exercise in hypotheticals.
About the Author
