OPINION: How about a deal with Texas? (New Mexico)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | October 4, 2026 | Ryan Boetel Journal Opinion Editor

[CedarDave]

For all the griping we hear about our state — healthcare, education, crime, economic opportunity — there sure has been a lot of talk lately about ownership of our assets. (Turn the page for opinions about the Sandia Mountains.)

Last week, Texas lawmakers met to study the possibility of the Lone Star State annexing “one or more contiguous counties” in southeastern New Mexico because of the region’s conservative leanings and oil production. It’s been a fantastical debate for several years, as southeastern New Mexico residents on paper align more closely to the culture of West Texas than Santa Fe.

While the New Mexico Governor’s Office clapped back with facts about seccession and our state’s recent track record of methane emission reductions, I propose a hypothetical negotiation with our neighbors to the east: Texas can have Lea and Eddy counties but we get El Paso County.

Sure, our state coffers would take a hit, especially initially. Lea is consistently our largest oil-producing county, flooding state coffers to help fund public education, universal childcare and free college tuition, and shore up federal cuts to healthcare and food assistance programs.

If Lea County were its own country, it would be one of the top-20 highest oil-producing nations in the world. Eddy County isn’t far behind Lea in terms of oil production. Combined, they have accounted for about 98% of New Mexico oil production this year, so Texas will hear us out and New Mexico would need to find another Golden Goose.

We could find one.

Culture’s one of the biggest reasons for the swap, right? El Paso would fit right in here. The county is about 80% Hispanic and Democrats beat Republicans by about 15 percentage points in the 2024 election.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Humor; Local News; Society
KEYWORDS: elpaso; energy; leacounty; naturalgas; newmexico; oil; opinion; texas

[CedarDave]

He goes onto to say El Paso would contribute another university and medical school, the military would be represented by Fort Bliss. Trade would increase with additional ports of entry. An additional 700,000 people would give NM another congressional seat. Culture would include El Paso’s vibrant downtown and the Cincinnati Entertainment district near UTEP. The Franklin Mountains State Park would give us another outdoor recreation area.

All very tongue-in-cheek. However, he missed how the time zone could change. The southeast New Mexico workforce is already on Texas-time with the work day starting at 7:00 to coordinate with other oil field activity in the Permian Basin and oil company headquarters in Houston and Dallas. Like New Mexico, El Paso is already in the Mountain Time zone, unlike the rest of Texas.

(The comment about the Sandia Mountains refers to the current attempt by Sandia Pueblo to exert additional and complete control over 10,000 acres from the US Forest Service agreed to in the 2003 T’uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Act. The act said the land would remain with the USFS, but that the Sandia Pueblo trust act recognized and protected the Pueblo of Sandia’s rights and interests of the area as well as the public’s longstanding use and enjoyment of the area which has been maintained by the Forest Service. The Pueblo asserts the Forest Service has been negligent in protecting the area and wants control.)

[CedarDave]

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[Dr. Sivana]

I welcome a readonable counter offer from the other side. On most state issues, we are okay with kefties choking on their own vomit. Red gets redder, blue gets bluer. This is something that is actually doable if it becomes a movement.

[CedarDave]

The lefties in Santa Fe hate the O&G industry but love the money. They have the power and ain’t giving either up!

[Night Hides Not]

It may have been tongue in cheek, but here's the ender in my opinion: I'll never forget the opening line to the Marty Robbins song "El Paso":

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girl.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

New Mexico has become so lib infested that the Eastern Counties should all join in with Texas. Arizona could claim the Western counties as so much of Arizona has blown over into NM for centuries, leaving NM with just Santa Fe as a lib infested hole in the mid top. It could be joined to Colorado which has become so CALIFORNICATED they are no longer the beautiful states I lived in while young.

[Dr. Sivana]

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girl.

We also have the Beach Boys:
Fell in love years ago with an innocent girl
From the Spanish and Indian home
Of the heroes and villains

Sinatra (and many others):
South of the border, down Mexico way
That's where I fell in love
when the stars above
came out to play

And even Elton John:
When along came a señorita
She looked so good that I had to meet her
I was ready to approach her with my English charm
When her brass knuckled boyfriend grabbed me by the arm

Some of those Mexican girls are very pretty, and very nice.

[CedarDave]

Some of those Mexican girls are very pretty, and very nice.

At 21. After 20 years, a handful of kids and a diet of beans, burritos and sugar drinks, not so much. Need a dose of MAHA.

[Joe 6-pack]

Don’t forget Blaine Larsen’s song, “I Don’t Know What She Said,” for a humorous take on the subject :)

[Dr. Sivana]

He is well after my time, but the style of the lyric is quite similar.

[Dr. Sivana]

He is well after my time, but the style of the lyric is quite similar.

[DIRTYSECRET]

When the country has a GOP majority big enough to govern WITHOUT Texas then Texas should SECEDE and become an independent country long enough to bring a final solution to our immigration issues. Deport all illegals to Texas. As an independent country they can stretch the limits of legality on their own terms. It can also work with us hand in glove.

Texas can legally secede. Come back when we’re all ready and all problems solved.

[Dr. Sivana]

Texas can legally secede.

I understand that is no longer the case, somewhere along the way (reconstruction?), that was lost.

[Political Junkie Too]

My counter-offer is that if they want El Paso, they have to take Beto O'Rourke with it.

Then Beto can give the Lujans a run for their money.

-PJ

[ansel12]

Texas never had a clause that they could secede, it was that they can divide into 5 separate states.

“Texas divisionism refers to historical and contemporary movements advocating for the division of the State of Texas into as many as five states; a provision included in the resolution admitting the former Republic of Texas into the Union in 1845.”

[LegendHasIt]

While we are dreaming... How about this:?

New Mexico is a rather large state and rather square shape. How about we divide it in half longitudinally and in half latitudinaly, and let each 1/4 become its own independent state?

Each quarter would still be larger in area than each of the ten smallest states.

[Dr. Sivana]

Each quarter would still be larger in area than each of the ten smallest states.

And two southern quarters would have a lot fewer people than Wyoming, Rhode Island or Vermont.

[LegendHasIt]

Yes, that would be another benefit. :-)