The Republican Party of Texas is calling for a referendum on whether the state "should reassert its status as an independent nation" as a "legislative priority" in the next session of the Texas legislature.

Reflecting plummeting patience with overstepping federal overlords, the Texas Republican Party has adopted two platform planks that call for legislators to assert state sovereignty, and to schedule a secession referendum in the next general election after November's.

Texas independence campaigners have been celebrating after four Republican candidates who signed the "Texas First" pledge, vowing to support a referendum on Texas breaking away from the United States, won state GOP primary contests on Tuesday.