Proposal for NM counties to join Texas sparks meltdown in Santa Fe

The Piñon Post ^ | March 29, 2026 | Piñon Post staff

[CedarDave]

A proposal out of Texas to study whether some New Mexico counties could potentially join the state of Texas has triggered a surprisingly emotional response from New Mexico’s top Democratic leaders — and exposed a political nerve that Santa Fe clearly did not want touched.

Earlier this week, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows directed a Texas legislative committee to study the possibility of adding “one or more contiguous counties of New Mexico” to the state of Texas. The committee has been instructed to study the constitutional, legal, fiscal, and economic feasibility of such a move and outline what steps would be required at both the state and federal levels.

Burrows framed the idea as a conversation about representation and economic alignment, particularly in the oil- and gas-producing Permian Basin region that stretches across southeastern New Mexico and West Texas.

“Southeast New Mexico deserves a real voice in its own future, not one dictated by Santa Fe,” Burrows said in a statement, pointing to the region’s energy production, property rights concerns, and cultural alignment with West Texas.

The proposal is still in the early stages, with Texas lawmakers expected to study the issue and present findings during the next Texas legislative session in 2027. Any actual boundary change would require approval from the New Mexico Legislature, the Texas Legislature, and the U.S. Congress — meaning the proposal is far from becoming reality.

But the mere suggestion was enough to spark sharp reactions from New Mexico Democrats, including House Speaker Javier Martínez and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office.

Martínez responded with a statement that sounded more like a social media post than a formal statement from the leader of the New Mexico House of Representatives.

“I suggest that Speaker Burrows get offline, touch some grass, and get his own House in order,” Martínez said, before launching into criticism of Texas and national Republicans over grocery prices, healthcare costs, and energy prices.

Meanwhile, Gov. Lujan Grisham’s office also dismissed the idea but issued a defensive statement emphasizing that New Mexico would remain “fully intact,” while also pivoting to methane emissions comparisons between Texas and New Mexico.

“We have every intention of keeping the great state of New Mexico fully intact. This is not a serious proposal, but Texas can study it all they want,” said Michael Coleman, the governor’s communications director, who then added that Texas should study New Mexico’s methane regulations, per KOAT 7.

The intensity of the response raised eyebrows among some observers, given that Texas is currently only studying the idea — not moving forward with any annexation proposal.

Still, the conversation touches on a very real political tension within New Mexico: southeastern New Mexico produces a massive share of the state’s oil and gas revenue, generating billions of dollars that fund state government, schools, and infrastructure across New Mexico, while the region often finds itself politically outnumbered by lawmakers from Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections; US: New Mexico; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: politics; statehood

[CedarDave]

More at the link including insightful reader comments.

Now that the Dems have cut and gerrymandered the conservative south part of the state into the ABQ area and the northwest corner mainly known for Native-American reservations, there is no Pub representation in the state executive and judicial branches and Dems control both houses in the legislature. Likewise, all national congressional representatives and senators are left-wing Dems. Santa Fe admires California's progressive government and tries to emulate it. The #2 in the country O&G industry is hated up there but the politicians love the $5 billion the industry provides the state treasury to fund all their progressive ideas including climate change activism. Oil Patch City (AKA Hobbs) is just four miles from the Texas border and the O&G fields straddle the border of both states.

[Round Earther]

It will never happen.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

wow.

[ansel12]

It is the right thing to do, it was part of Texas originally and they want to return.

[ChuckHam]

NM has been assimilated. Give it back to Mexico. Arizona is right behind. The cartels own both. I suggest Freepers get out of there including those that left Californication and moved there.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

This movement is building all across America. The Democrats will fight it tooth and nail.

Here are some of the active movements in this direction:

• The Oregon counties to Idaho.
• The Maryland and Virginia counties to West Virginia.
• The New Mexico counties to Texas.
• The Illinois counties to Indiana.

Once one goes, they will all topple like a stack of dominoes.

[CedarDave]

ABQ Journal story:

Texas House speaker wants lawmakers to look into annexing part of New Mexico

[Jane Long]

Tell us what you really think ... 😂

[DIRTYSECRET]

My friends please be aware that Beto would be a sitting senator if he had stayed in NM. I took one boxing lesson and I was ready for Mike Tyson.

[Parley Baer]

I have a friend that lives in Hobbs New Mexico and this is a big topic of conversation. They do not like the liberalism that is occurring in New Mexico.

[CedarDave]

It will never happen.

Yes, unlikely but the story itself provides insight into how northern New Mexican progressives take our O&G money for their state giveaways and give us little in return for infrastructure and our programs. In spite of this jobs and housing are booming, and two new middle schools are under construction. New stores are opening and our event center is undergoing $59 million upgrade.

BTW, the local high school girls basketball team beat the heck out of all the big ABQ schools and came home with the top state title championship.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

I may not PING for all New Mexico articles. To see New Mexico articles by topic click here: New Mexico Topics

To see NM articles by keyword, click here: New Mexico Keywords

To see the NM Message Page, click here: New Mexico Messages

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for FR member use; its use in the News Forum should not be for trivial or inconsequential posts. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
(For ABQ Journal articles requiring a subscription, you may be allowed a number of free article views.)

[Round Earther]

And in Texas, the taxpayers in Chapter 41 school districts send billions of property tax dollars to poor districts, and they get nothing in return.

At the same time, on the federal level, the taxpayers of Texas, California and New York, see their tax dollars get redistributed to New Mexico, and I see no one in New Mexico complaining about that.

Taxing and wealth redistribution is unfair in New Mexico, Texas and in every other state.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Think Donbas.

[coloradan]

Also some Colorado counties to Wyoming. And some Canadian provinces to the US.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Yes, I have my fingers crossed for all those changes to come about. Yes, I can well imagine Colorado counties want to run with Wyoming. And of course Alberta is ready to roll on statehood. If all these movements succeed, it will be a bright future indeed.

[hanamizu]

The Democrats will fight it tooth and nail.

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The trouble is, for areas to change states requires the approval of the legislatures of both states involved as well as approval by Congress. Dems have to fight the idea since the people wanting to change states want to flee democrat rule. Can’t have that, it implies that there is something wrong with democrat rule.

[IYAS9YAS]

I think one of the original maps of The Republic of Texas shows the western border of Texas being the Rio Grande. It splits NM from north to south as it winds its way down to become our southern border between TX and Mexico. Maybe they’d take it all back. Of course that includes most of Albuqirky, so maybe they’d be better off with just those southeastern counties.

[ridesthemiles]

THE NATIVES ARE RESTLESS

[PAR35]

Texas should only agree if New Mexico has to take El Paso in return.