April 29, 2009 12:31 AM UTC

Texas Republicans See Secession As Real Option

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• by: Colorado Pols

We’re a little late to the party on this story, but it’s still amazingly strange. As The Fix reported last week:

Every once in a while, just when we think we have seen it all, a poll cross the Fix desk that makes us do a double-take.

This is that poll.

In a new survey by Research 2000 for the liberal Daily Kos blog, Texas voters were asked whether the Lone Star State would be better off as an “independent nation” or as part of the United States.

Overall, more than six in ten chose the latter option. (No big surprise there.) But, among Republicans, 48 percent said it would be better for Texas if the state was an independent nation — the same number who said they would prefer the state remain a part of the United States.

Just to reiterate: roughly half of all self-identified Texas Republicans in the Research 2000 poll said they would rather their state be an independent nation. [Pols emphasis]

…The poll data comes in the wake of a controversy stirred by Texas Gov. Rick Perry when he seemed to suggest that if the federal government continued on his current path secession might be an option….

…the secession results suggest that Perry may be more in line with the average Texas Republican primary voter than previously imagined.

Holy Walker Texas Ranger, Batman! We thought this was all mostly a joke when the idea had been bandied about in recent months, but Texas Republicans are apparently serious. Even if the poll isn’t completely accurate that 48 percent of Republicans support secession, it’s not wrong that at least 35-40 percent are in favor of Independence…which is about 30 percent more than we would have actually thought.