Texas Wants to Secede? That Sounds Great!

Democrats would love to have state's 34 electoral votes back

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 17, 2009 1:31 PM CDT

(Newser) – Rick Perry’s talk of seceding from the union might seem crazy, but calling the Texas governor's bluff would be a great deal for Democrats, writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com. Consider:

Democrats would suddenly have a filibuster-proof majority in the 98-seat Senate.
Republicans would lose eight more House members than Democrats.
George W. Bush would never have been elected.

Barack Obama would have won the Electoral College 389-147 rather than 365-173; most of Texas’ electoral votes would go to left-leaning states like California and New York.
There’d be a case for making football an Olympic sport, “which would sure as hell beat rhythmic gymnastics.”

“This all sounds like a pretty good deal to me,” Silver concludes, “provided there weren’t import duties on Shiner Bock."

Eliminating Texas would be great for Democrats.

A huge flag of Texas is illuminated as Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., makes a campaign stop at the Dodge Arena in Hildago, Texas, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Texas Governor Rick Perry watches an NBA game in this file photo. (Getty Images)

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Texas Wants to Secede? That Sounds Great!

Democrats would love to have state's 34 electoral votes back

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Detroit Bust Would've Been Better Than Bailout

Ex-Prez Bush says bailout his idea, and a good one

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Ezra Klein crunches the numbers and comes up with a lower total than you think

Perry Campaign Security Cost Texas Taxpayers $800K

Home state paid for food and lodging for bodyguards

Perry's Approval Rating Plummets in His Own State

After failed presidential bid, Texas governor's popularity plunges

Rick Perry Trails by a Lot ... in Texas

Nearly 40% think he's giving the state a bad name

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