Secession Divides Texas Republicans



Gov. Rick Perry's secession idea doesn't seem so crazy in light of new polling out of Texas. AP Photo by Harry Cabluck

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.

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.

"Texas is a unique place," the governor said at the time. "When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that."

One GOP operative with Texas ties closely sent the Fix an email with the poll results attached that read: "The Reason Why Rick Perry Can Win the GOP Primary".

Perry faces a difficult primary challenge in the form of Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The Kos poll showed Hutchison with very strong personal favorability ratings (64 percent favorable/ 29 percent unfavorable) while Perry's scores (51 percent fav/43 percent unfav) -- suggesting that the Senator has built up considerable good will among Texas voters.

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

In the words of Tim Riggins, "Texas forever".