Secessionists in New Hampshire demand independence

Shafaq News/ Yesterday saw the launch of the NHEXIT Now movement, which is campaigning for the state of New Hampshire to "do better" by breaking away from the United States and establishing itself as a fully independent country.

Independence movements are active in a number of American states against the backdrop of fierce political division between Democrats and Republicans at the federal level, including the contested 2020 presidential election. In a YouGov survey of 35,000 U.S. adults earlier this year, an average of 23 percent would support their own state becoming an independent country, with the figures highest in Alaska (36 percent) and Texas (31 percent).

NHEXIT Now is led by Carla Gericke, who was previously involved with the Free State Project (FSP)—a libertarian-leaning group which encouraged like-minded individuals to "move to New Hampshire for liberty."

In a statement sent to Newsweek explaining her decision to launch the group, whose name was inspired by Britain's "Brexit" from the European Union, Gericke said: "There are 2.5 million unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., and they are responsible for dragging the nation to the brink of bankruptcy. Not only that, but they are siphoning money out of taxpayers' wallets every year, trampling on the rights of New Hampshire citizens.

"We must take back our government and work to guarantee the protection of the rights and basic necessities of New Hampshire residents." 

"I am extremely excited to take on this new role, create a community of pro-independence Granite Staters, and work to secure a self-governed future for New Hampshire."

In a video shared to the group's account on X, formerly Twitter, Gericke said, "we know we can do better. We demand better."

On its official website, NHEXIT Now says it is "dedicated to securing a sovereign and independent New Hampshire, championing the principles of self-determination, liberty and the preservation of our state's unique heritage and values."

The group adds: "Through a peaceful, democratic and lawful pursuit of independence, we aim to empower New Hampshire to govern itself, fostering economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and a vibrant community life."

In January, Republican Representative Jason Gerhard introduced legislation to the New Hampshire House requiring the state to declare independence should the U.S. national debt surpass $40 trillion, though this was later voted down.

A bill was separately introduced in the state House by Republican Representative Matthew Santonastaso calling for the creation of an Independence Study Committee to investigate the "economic, legal, and sociological aspects" of New Hampshire "exerting its sovereign rights" and becoming an independent state.

Newsweek contacted the office of New Hampshire's Republican Governor Chris Sununu for comment via telephone and voicemail message on Thursday outside of usual business hours.

This week also saw the launch of the "Free Louisiana" campaign, which is pushing for Louisiana to leave the Union, either on its own or as part of a "federation of mid-American states."

In 1869, the Supreme Court ruled that individual states don't have the legal right to secede from the Union in the Texas v. White case, which concluded they "entered into an indissoluble relation" when they joined the U.S. Then Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia reiterated this position in 2006 commenting: "If there was any constitutional issue resolved by the Civil War, it is that there is no right to secede."