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Comment by baldeagle | Hacker News Reader

Meanwhile in Texas, each State Senate District has 940,178 people. 70,000 people in a state senate district just seems more workable.

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With 29 million people, Texas has more inhabitants than the entire Australia, which is divided into several states.

In theory it's possible for TX to split into 5 states.

https://www.honestaustin.com/texapedia/texas-split-divide-in...

In theory, it’s possible for Texas to split into any number of States. I wouldn’t put money on it.

> In theory, it’s possible for Texas to split into any number of States.

Such a theory (this really refers to the Texas-specific 5 state theory upthread; your “any number” theory, which presumably is the same theory that applies to any State, is valid, but not unilateral like the 5-state theory) exists, but it requires starting with a dubious interpretation of the act annexing Texas, and then flatly ignoring the act admitting Texas.

I was surprised to learn that independent Texas actually maintained a diplomatic mission in London. The building still exists.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Legation

Given that the Republic of Texas had worldwide diplomatic recognition during its decade of existence, it would have been strange had the nation had not had diplomats stationed in London. It'd be like a new country today not sending an ambassador to Washington (while not being actively hostile to the US, and vice versa).

What I’m getting at is that it’s one of those things that is unlikely to ever be tested and likely won’t come up because Texans aren’t chomping at the bit to split their State up. Greater Idaho is more likely and that would require three State legislatures and an Act of Congress to make happen.

The Texas legislature also has a component with finer grained population, the Texas House.

The Texas House has 150 House Districts, based on the 2010 Census. Each House District has a population of around 167,637 people.

https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/transportation-p...

The two US senators for South Dakota got fewer than 300,000 votes each and both won by a mile. Curtis Sliwa got more votes than either of them while getting trounced in the NYC mayoral election.

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