Texas Gov. Abbott denounces secession, much to dismay of TEXIT supporters

During his Sunday appearance on 60 Minutes, Gov. Greg Abbott denounced the idea of Texas seceding from the U.S. — a statement that riled up "TEXIT" activists who spent months trying to get the question on the state party's primary ballot.

During the interview, which primarily focused on the standoff Abbott forced with the federal government over the state's border policy, 60 Minutes correspondent Cecilia Vega asked whether Texas has the right to break off from the rest of the union.

"I can't believe, governor, that I'm going to ask you this question, but I'm going to ask you: Do you believe that Texas has the right to secede?" she inquired. "Is that what we're talking about here?"

Abbott replied swiftly, calling notions that he wants a divorce from the United States "false narratives."

"We're not imposing a Texas border policy," Abbott said. "Texas very simply is enforcing the laws that are the policy of the United States Congress."

To say secession is a false narrative is a lie. The issue holds two planks on the Texas Republican platform. Abbott's rhetoric comes as no surprise to Texians who see the blue streak in him.

— Texit Chicano Camacho (@RonaldGCamacho) March 4, 2024

The Texas Nationalist Movement, whose members marched to Abbott's office last month to demand that he hold a special legislative session to debate TEXIT, were quick to criticize the governor's remarks on social media platform X.

"To say secession is a false narrative is a lie," X user @ RonaldGCamacho commented. "The issue holds two planks on the Texas Republican platform. Abbott's rhetoric comes as no surprise to Texians who see the blue streak in him."

For reality check, Abbott was ranked among the nation's 10 most-conservative governors according to a 2021 report published by the American Legislative Exchange Council, a Libertarian think tank.

"Bought and sold," X user @SezSusan wrote. "The only reason he's governor is because he's not Beto."

Meanwhile, X user and TNM supporter @Biobot459 wrote that TEXIT is "the only hope for what remains of freedom and sanity in America."

Although Abbott appears not be in the TNM's corner, the group's hopes of a second Texas Republic aren't dead yet.

More than 70 "Texas First" candidates — those who signed a Texas First Pledge calling for secession — are up for election in Tuesday's statewide primaries.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed