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Secession and the Truth-O-Meter

Texas
By W. Gardner Selby
November 12, 2012

Americans in numerous states, including Texas, have signed online petitions in favor of their states seceding.

Remember when this was just a Texas phenomenon? We’re re-posting our previous fact-checks related to whether or not Texas Gov. Rick Perry once called for Texas to quit the Union.

Hint: Not quite.

Our Sources

See Truth-O-Meter articles.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by W. Gardner Selby
Ken Paxton
stated on October 25, 2018 in a TV ad:
Says Ken Paxton “shut down the world’s largest human trafficking marketplace.”
Mostly False
By W. Gardner Selby • November 1, 2018
Donald Trump
stated on October 22, 2018 in a rally for Republican candidates in Houston:
Says Beto O’Rourke “voted to shield MS-13 gang members from deportation.”
Mostly False
By W. Gardner Selby • October 25, 2018
Beto O'Rourke
stated on October 16, 2018 in a debate televised from San Antonio:
Says “only one other senator from either party over the last 25 years” has “a worse record on bipartisanship” than Ted Cruz.  
True
By W. Gardner Selby • October 18, 2018
Alexander Strenger
stated on October 1, 2018 in response cited in an interactive voter guide:
Says 60 percent of Austin’s “waterways are found to be contaminated with fecal matter and deemed unsafe to swim.”
Half-True
By W. Gardner Selby • October 16, 2018
Beto O'Rourke
stated on September 29, 2018 in an Austin rally:
Says that in Texas, “you can be too gay to adopt” a foster child “who needs a loving home.”  
Half-True
By W. Gardner Selby • October 4, 2018
Ted Cruz
stated on September 21, 2018 in a debate at Southern Methodist University:
Says Beto O’Rourke described police as “modern-day Jim Crow.”
Mostly False
By W. Gardner Selby • September 25, 2018
Beto O'Rourke
stated on September 21, 2018 in a debate at Southern Methodist University:
Says he “did not try to leave the scene of the accident” that led to his arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Mostly False
By W. Gardner Selby • September 25, 2018
Texans Are
stated on September 12, 2018 in a TV ad:
Says Beto O’Rourke voted “against body armor for Texas sheriffs patrolling the border.”  
False
By W. Gardner Selby • September 13, 2018
Ken Paxton
stated on August 26, 2018 in an interview on Fox & Friends:
Says Texas has “had over 600,000 crimes committed by illegals since 2011. Over 1,200 homicides.”  
Pants on Fire!
By W. Gardner Selby • September 7, 2018
Greg Abbott
stated on August 30, 2018 in a TV ad:
Says Texas “high school graduation rates are at all-time highs.”  
True
By W. Gardner Selby • September 7, 2018
Ted Cruz
stated on September 4, 2018 in a video:
Says Beto O’Rourke said he’s grateful that people are burning or desecrating the American flag.
False
By W. Gardner Selby • September 5, 2018
Ted Cruz
stated on August 28, 2018 in an online video ad:
Says Beto O’Rourke “voted against” Hurricane Harvey “tax relief.”
Mostly True
By W. Gardner Selby • August 29, 2018
M.J. Hegar
stated on August 21, 2018 in an interview on Spectrum Cable's "Capital Tonight":
Says U.S. Rep. John Carter “hasn’t held a town hall in five years.”
Mostly True
By W. Gardner Selby • August 29, 2018
Beto O'Rourke
stated on July 26, 2018 in an ad in the Houston Defender:
Says “black Americans have 10 times less wealth than white Americans.”
Mostly True
By W. Gardner Selby • August 23, 2018
Silvestre Reyes
stated on May 22, 2012 in a TV ad:
Says Beto O’Rourke “has a criminal record that includes DWI and burglary arrests.”
True
By W. Gardner Selby • August 22, 2018

Secession and the Truth-O-Meter

Clear
Sherrod Brown
stated on September 18, 2026 in an ad:
Sen. Jon Husted voted “to kick 490,000 Ohioans off their healthcare.”
Half-True
By Louis Jacobson • October 9, 2026
Angie Nixon
stated on October 4, 2026 in an Oct. 4 CBS Miami interview:
President Donald Trump has deported “over 13,000 Cubans since he has been in office, his first term and his second term.”
Mostly True
By Maria Briceño • October 9, 2026
Phil Berger
stated on October 7, 2026 in comments:
Suspending North Carolina’s gas tax
Full Flop
By Paul Specht • October 7, 2026
Zach Nunn
stated on September 8, 2026 in a social media post:
“We have cut the largest taxes in U.S. history.”
Mostly False
By Isabella Tisdale • October 7, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 22, 2026 in an ad:
Iowa U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Josh Turek “supports amnesty for illegals.”
Half-True
By Caleb McCullough • October 7, 2026
Markwayne Mullin
stated on October 1, 2026 in a speech at a rally in Oklahoma:
For President Donald Trump, “there’s no financial gain like the past presidents have had. It’s cost him to be in office.”
Pants on Fire!
By Louis Jacobson • October 5, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on October 4, 2026 in a Truth Social post:
Brazil’s quick election results are proof that places like Detroit, Philadelphia and California “take weeks to rig” their elections.
Pants on Fire!
By Amy Sherman • October 5, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on September 21, 2026 in an X post:
Roy Cooper was “in New York speaking at a New York Times ‘Climate Forward’ event” when Hurricane “Helene slammed into North Carolina.”
False
By Paul Specht • October 5, 2026
WinSenate
stated on September 25, 2026 in an ad:
Iowa Republican Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson voted against releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Mostly False
By Loreben Tuquero • October 2, 2026
Donald Trump
stated on October 1, 2026 in a Truth Social post:
“I stated, numerous times, that it would take 4-6 weeks to get rid of THE IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, and I did it in one night!”
False
By Amy Sherman, Maria Briceño • October 2, 2026
TikTok posts
stated on September 28, 2026 in a post:
These videos show scenes of alleged sexual assault at Cornell University.
Pants on Fire!
By Jeff Cercone • October 1, 2026
Byron Donalds
stated on September 28, 2026 in an ad:
“Just months after” the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, David Jolly “was in Washington, pressuring Congress to expand drilling off the Florida coast, over $5 million in billings.”
Mostly False
By Samantha Putterman • October 1, 2026
Senate Leadership Fund
stated on September 16, 2026 in an ad:
Sherrod Brown supports “forcing childhood sex change surgery.”
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 1, 2026
John E. Sununu
stated on September 8, 2026 in his primary night victory speech:
“Chris Pappas voted to raise taxes 68 times. Every tax vote he’s made was to raise taxes.”
False
By Louis Jacobson • October 1, 2026
Mike Rogers
stated on September 24, 2026 in a TV interview:
Abdul El-Sayed “could not condemn the terrorist who tried to attack and kill 140 Jewish children right here in Michigan.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • October 1, 2026
Ashley Hinson
stated on September 2, 2026 in a social media post:
Iowa Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek “skipped 58% of the votes at the Statehouse this year.”
True
By Anna Mitchell • September 30, 2026
Mike Rogers
stated on September 23, 2026 in an X post:
“Abdul El-Sayed supports defunding the police and emptying prisons.”
Mostly False
By Caleb McCullough • September 28, 2026
WinSenate
stated on September 24, 2026 in an ad:
Sen. Susan Collins “voted to cover up the Epstein files” and Jeffrey Epstein’s “business partner funneled $3 million” to a Collins super PAC.
False
By Amy Sherman • September 28, 2026
Rob Sand
stated on August 24, 2026 in an ad:
Iowa once had “the best public schools in the country,” but is now “in the bottom half.”
Half-True
By Grace Olson • September 24, 2026
Republican National Committee
stated on September 2, 2026 in an X post:
“54% of North Carolina commercial driver’s licenses were issued illegally to foreign nationals.”
False
By Paul Specht • September 24, 2026
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