Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, plans to explore the process of adding some New Mexico counties to the Lone Star State during next year’s legislative session.
One of the last pages of the Texas House’s Interim Committee Charges describes a directive for a governmental oversight committee to “study the constitutional, statutory, fiscal, and economic implications of adding to Texas one or more contiguous counties of New Mexico.”
The directive also requests an outline of the steps needed to admit New Mexico counties into Texas.
The initiative comes after Burrows voiced public support for a secession amendment that New Mexico Rep. Randall Pettigrew, R-Lovington, proposed in February. According to the Albuquerque Journal, Pettigrew suggested secession, “in part, because of how people in other parts of the state view southeast New Mexico, and the oil and gas industry.” He claims those on the political left “want all the money” and control of oil and gas.
“Texas would gladly welcome Lea County back to Texas, where it rightfully belongs,” Burrows said on X, referencing the county in which Pettigrew’s Lovington is the county seat.
A New Mexican lawmaker has introduced secession legislation only once before — in 2021 under former Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
In a statement to KRQE, Burrows said the secession issue boils down to “culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins.” In his opinion, Southeast New Mexico is a conservative area that shouldn’t be “dictated” by the capital city of Santa Fe, which is more liberal.
New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez, a Democrat, also gave a statement to KRQE, saying Burrows needed to “get offline, touch some grass, and get his own House in order.”
“I am certain Texans would much rather see their elected leaders come up with real solutions to the soaring healthcare, grocery, and energy prices brought on by the reckless actions of President Donald J. Trump and his Republican friends in Washington, D.C.,” Martinez said. “We’re good.”