NEWS
Texas House speaker stands firm on wishes to explore annexing southeast New Mexico
Burrows: Conversation is about 'culture,' 'opportunity' and 'shared values'
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows doubled down on his desires to explore the possibility of annexing parts of oil-rich southeast New Mexico, even after New Mexico officials told him it wasn鈥檛 up for grabs.
Burrows, a Republican, said in a statement that southeast New Mexico was more Lubbock than Santa Fe, anyway.
鈥淪outheast New Mexico deserves a real voice in its own future, not one dictated by Santa Fe,鈥 Burrows said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a conservative, energy-rich region with a fierce independent streak, and West Texas has shown what鈥檚 possible when you respect oil and gas, protect property rights, and trust local communities. This conversation is ultimately about culture, opportunity, and the right to choose a path that reflects the shared values of the Permian and Delaware basins. I look forward to this discussion in the new House select committee.鈥
Burrows released his list of last week, which include direction for lawmakers to 鈥渟tudy the constitutional, statutory, fiscal and economic implications鈥 of adding 鈥渙ne or more鈥 contiguous counties of New Mexico to Texas.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham鈥檚 office fired back, calling Burrows鈥 efforts a 鈥渞idiculous proposal.鈥
鈥淲e have every intention of keeping the great state of New Mexico fully intact,鈥 communications director Michael Coleman said in a statement.
New Mexico鈥檚 own House Speaker Javier Mart铆nez, D-Albuquerque, said in a statement that Burrows should 鈥済et offline, touch some grass, and get his own House in order.鈥
The plans follow an unsuccessful effort this legislative session from Lovington Republican Rep. Randall Pettigrew to allow New Mexico counties to be able to choose to secede from the state.
鈥淭he culture and the frustration from southeast New Mexico is real, and our voices need to be heard,鈥 Pettigrew said.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis joined in on the land grab antics on April Fool鈥檚 Day by proposing that the Centennial State help themselves to the northern part of New Mexico.
鈥淭he Santa Fe area will be a great addition to Colorado,鈥 Polis said in a on X. 鈥淚t is no secret that Colorado and New Mexico are two of the best places to live, work and play, and we would be thrilled to welcome our friends in northern New Mexico to our great state and protect them from aggression from Texas.鈥
Texas probably couldn鈥檛 handle annexing the land anyway, he wrote.
鈥淲e can protect the rich culture, including the arts and restaurant scenes in these communities, while also mutually strengthening our economies and avoiding spreading Texas鈥 failed leadership any further. Not to mention the fact that this will mean more Pueblo chiles for all.鈥
Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.