A recent poll conducted exclusively for Newsweek reveals that nearly 30% of Americans would support Texas leaving the United States and becoming an independent republic.
About The Survey
Conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies, the survey encompassed 1,500 eligible voters nationwide.
The online poll was conducted on February 18 and 19 and carries a margin of error of 2.5 percent.
Survey Results
The survey found that 13% of respondents would “strongly support” Texas seceding from the U.S., with an additional 14% expressing “support” for the idea.
Conversely, 22% of respondents indicated they would be “strongly opposed” to it with another 14% expressing “opposition.”
Meanwhile, 24% of respondents stated they “neither support nor oppose” the proposition and 13% responded with “don’t know.”
Potential Referendum
Additionally, a separate survey of 814 eligible voters in Texas conducted by Redfield & Wilton found that 23% would vote for the state to become fully independent in a hypothetical referendum.
Nevertheless, 67% of respondents in Texas favored remaining part of the American Union, with 10% responding “don’t know.”
Why The Survey?
Recent tensions between Texan authorities and the federal government have reignited discussions regarding the potential for Texas to leave the Union and become an independent state.
The SC Ruling
Following a Supreme Court ruling on January 22 allowing federal agents to dismantle razor wire along the Texas-Mexico border, Texas Governor Greg Abbott vehemently criticized the decision, asserting Texas’s “constitutional authority to defend and protect itself” against what he termed an “invasion.”
Response From Texas
In response to the Supreme Court ruling, the Texas Nationalist Movement, advocating for Texan independence, called on Abbott to convene a special session to explore the possibility of Texas independence.
Future Of Other States
The Redfield & Wilton survey also revealed that 27% of Americans would support California leaving the Union and becoming independent, while 37% expressed opposition to the idea.
Support for other states pursuing independence was notably lower, with only 22% and 19% of Americans considering Mississippi and New Hampshire, respectively, as potential independent nations.
State Should Have Right to Secede
However, the polling also showed that a plurality of Americans believe a state should have the right to secede from the United States if a majority of its voters support secession.
Seriousness Of the Texas Independence Movement
Professor Matt Qvortrup, author of “I Want to Break Free: A Practical Guide to Making a New Country,” emphasized the significance of these findings, suggesting that the Texas independence movement should be taken seriously.
He noted that while support for it may seem relatively low at present, historical precedents suggest such sentiments can gain traction over time.
A Possible Texit?
Referring to Texan independence as Texit, a play on Brexit, Qvortrup said, “In Catalonia, Quebec, and in Scotland, support for independence was in the twenties when the issue was first discussed. This has in all cases moved within touching distance of independence.”
Migrant Crisis
Moreover, the ongoing migrant crisis appears to have influenced opinions in Texas, with 44% of respondents indicating that it made them more likely to support independence, compared to 16% who said it made them less likely to do so.
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