Of the more than 30 states referenced in secession petitions, only a handful have more than 20,000 virtual signatures. And only Texas and one other state have the necessary 25,000 signatures needed for White House review. So what would it mean for the Lone Star State to secede?
The petitions were created three days after the election and have quickly multiplied from both blue states and red on the White House website. So far only two have met the threshold to require a White House response: Louisiana and Texas. Our state is up to more than 75,000 signatures.
History is littered with secession movements. Before the Civil War, Texas, which began as a republic, pulled it off and joined the Union after the Civil War. At the Antiquarian Print Gallery in Houston, Greg Cooper once sold an original Texas secession document. But he doesn't expect history to repeat itself now.
"I think we'll all get through it, but it makes for interesting political theatre," said Cooper.
We asked former Texas Governor Mark White to weigh in with his opinion.
"Everybody gets frustrated at some time or another by the government, but surely no one is serious about seceding from the Union," said White.
"When an election doesn't go your way, it's like a child playing with marbles; they lost fair and square," said former lawmaker and Congressman Craig Washington.
As a practical matter, and matter of law, secession isn't an option in the nation.
"They wouldn't get any money from Washington and that's what they don't seem to understand," explained Peter Linzer, a constitutional law professor at the University of Houston. "It's been shown the red states get more in money than the blue states."
It is a sign of frustration for those dissatisfied with the election and the economy. But back at the San Jacinto Monument, we found a couple from Sugar Land who say they might add their names to the list.
"It's good to have the opinions of the people. Now I know why Texans are proud to be Texans," said Marielos Montufar.
In response to the secession petitions, there is also a petition to revoke citizenship of anyone who supports secession. You can check out all of the petitions to the White House.
