Sen. Ted Cruz said he understands people who want Texas to secede from the U.S. and that Democratic rule could make matters “hopeless” enough for it.
The Texas Republican said that he doesn’t favor secession now, but cautioned that he could imagine circumstances changing if Democrats in Washington get their way.
“If the Democrats end the filibuster, if they fundamentally destroy the country, if they pack the Supreme Court, if they make D.C. a state, if they federalize elections, if they massively expand voter fraud, there may come a point where it’s hopeless,” Mr. Cruz said.
According to a Monday account in The Hill, Mr. Cruz made remarks toying with Texas secession when responding to a student question about that movement at a recent speech at Texas A&M University.
He cautioned his answer by saying that he also sees the view that Texas needs to restrain Washington Democratic lawmakers from going off the deep end.
“I think Texas has a responsibility to the country, and I’m not ready to give up on America. I love this country,” he said.
Texas is currently “an amazing force keeping America from going off the cliff” and “keeping America grounded in the values that built this country,” he said.
But while he doesn’t support secession now and doesn’t the country is at the point of forcing a Texas secession, he “understands the sentiment behind it.”
“We’re not there yet, and if there comes a point where it’s hopeless, then I think we take NASA, we take the military, we take the oil,” Cruz said.
He also joked that a newly independent Texas should invite podcaster Joe Rogan to be its president.
Texas already has seceded from the U.S. once before, along with 10 other slave-holding Southern states, in 1860-61. But the Confederate States of America were defeated in the ensuing American Civil War.
Before that though, Texas had a short history as an independent republic with recognition from many of the great powers, including Britain and France — the only state of which that can be said.
An American-settler-led rebellion won a war of independence against Mexico and established the Republic of Texas in 1836. But for more than a decade, the U.S. refused to annex the territory, as the leaders of the rebellion had hoped would quickly happen, largely because of domestic politics over admitting another slave state.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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