Texas Secession To Be On GOP Primary Ballot? Activists Relentless To See Texas Secede The Union

A Texas secession could be on the GOP primary ballot next March, according to a report by PJ Media. The Texas Nationalist Movement is pushing to have the state secede from the Union, a feat that would take quite a miracle.

Apparently, a petition is circulating around in attempt to get a non-binding vote onto the GOP primary ballot over whether “the state of Texas should reassert its status as an independent nation,” as reported by The Texas Tribune. Reportedly, 75,000 signatures from registered voters are needed by December 1; this is over and above the 66,894 that the Texas Secretary of State’s office says the group “needs to get the language on the ballot.”

The problem lies therein with Texas not being able to secede from the U.S. due to a post-Civil War Supreme Court ruling, Texas v. White. This isn’t breaking the strides of those in the Texas Nationalist Movement. A Texas secession seems within their grasps. The Republican Party of Texas sees efforts by the secessionists as futile. Texas GOP communications director, Aaron Whitehead, shared that the Republican party isn’t keen on outside groups attempting to modify the party ballot. He says that the Republican party decides what goes on the ballot, and it’s their preference that it remains as such.

Daniel Miller, president of the Texas Nationalist Movement, cites the state Constitution — specifically a provision stating that Texans have the right to “alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient.” He says the group is bypassing the GOP because interactions with them haven’t been successful.

Miller says that the group has been “rebuffed” by all concerned in the Republican party over the Texas secession.

“We have had our hand slapped. We have been rebuffed, and not just us as an organization, but essentially anyone in any position inside the party that has advocated for this position has been rebuffed.”

Whitehead explains that there’s a non-existent relationship between the GOP and the secessionists, and continues that anyone making a proposal on the ballot would be the same if it were “a resolution giving everybody a unicorn or a resolution for secession.”

Miller hopes if they get the signatures needed for Texas to secede the Union that Republicans will take their group more seriously. The Secretary of State’s office says it will be the first time that a “referendum from a citizen group is put on the Republicans’ statewide primary ballot,” according to the report. Miller admits that a majority vote for the referendum “wouldn’t be binding, but hopes it would be enough evidence of support to get state leaders to take the issue seriously long-term.”

Miller cites Scotland’s attempt at secession from the United Kingdom last November, which failed.

“The end game for us is to have a binding referendum on Texas independence, much like the people of Scotland had in November of last year.”

There are over 200,000 members in the Texas Nationalist Movement. Those members are passionate about becoming an independent nation because they believe that Texas and Washington, D.C. are going in two different directions.

Is there any chance that a Texas secession will occur?

[Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images]