Not holding my breath but these movements seem to be growing. Rural counties in Blue States that are basically powerless and tired of being treated like conquered territories. Taxes and regulations cripple them but they are happy to take their revenue in the case of Lea. FWIW there is no question Lea County would fit in with West Texas culturally far more than with Santa Fe and central NM that run that state.
Lea County Legislator reintroduces seccession amendment
Lea County Legislator reintroduces seccession amendment
Quote:
A Lovington state representative has introduced a constitutional amendment that would give voters a say in whether they want their counties to secede from New Mexico.
Under House Joint Resolution 10 sponsored by Republican Reps. Randall Pettigrew of Lovington and Jimmy Mason of Artesia at least 15% of the voters in three or more contiguous counties need to sign a petition requesting that secession be put on the 2026 ballot, Pettigrew said in a phone interview.
"And if we have a special election and two-thirds of the population in those counties agree and the county commissioners agree to that, and we (get) a presidential sign-off on it, we can get the hell out of New Mexico and quit being their problem," Pettigrew said.
Quote:
Pettigrew said he brought secession back to the table, in part, because of how people in other parts of the state view southeast New Mexico, and the oil and gas industry.
"My colleagues on the left and the Emerge New Mexico (a training program for Democratic women planning to run for public office) people up here want all the money," he said. "They just want to spend it the way they want and they want to control oil and gas at the same time. It's time to take the control away from them."
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
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