Cody Nickson, the Marine veteran and reality television personality known for his appearances on Big Brother and The Amazing Race, has officially signed the Texas First Pledge at taketexasback.com as he mounts a campaign for Texas State Representative in District 106.
Nickson signed the pledge on July 21, 2025, committing to a platform that puts Texas independence at its center. The Texas First Pledge is a binding commitment that requires candidates to vote for legislation calling for a referendum on Texas reasserting its status as an independent nation in every term they serve until such a vote is held.
The former Marine, who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before gaining national attention on reality television, is making his first bid for public office with a platform centered on eliminating property taxes in Texas. Nickson would be challenging incumbent Republican Jared Patterson, who has represented District 106 since 2019 and was re-elected in November 2024.
By signing the Texas First Pledge, Nickson has committed to several key principles: placing the interests of Texas and Texans before any other nation, state, political entity, organization, or individual; voting for legislation to call for an independence referendum in every term until such a vote is held; and if Texans vote for independence, working toward a fair and expedient separation from the federal government.
The pledge also commits signers to uphold the right of Texans under Article 1 Section 2 of the Texas Constitution “to alter, reform or abolish their government” – the same constitutional provision that justified the Texas Revolution in 1836.
Nickson’s military background brings credibility to his commitment to Texas-first principles. After joining the Air Force at 17, he later transferred to the Marine Corps, serving as an infantryman and completing multiple deployments overseas. Following his military service, Nickson gained national recognition on Big Brother 19, where he won America’s Favorite Houseguest. He later appeared with his wife Jessica Graf on The Amazing Race 30, which they won, taking home the $1 million prize.
District 106 covers portions of Denton County, including western Frisco, The Colony, Prosper, and other rapidly growing communities in North Texas. The district has been reliably Republican, with Patterson winning re-election with over 60% of the vote in November 2024.
The Texas First Pledge represents a significant shift in Texas Republican politics, moving beyond traditional conservative talking points to directly address the question of Texas independence. Unlike vague promises to “fight federal overreach,” candidates who sign this pledge are making a concrete commitment to advance Texas independence through the legislative process.
The movement for Texas independence continues to gain momentum as ordinary Texans realize they have more in common with each other than with the political class in Washington. With each new signature on the Texas First Pledge, that momentum builds toward the day when Texans will have their say on independence at the ballot box.
As more candidates like Nickson step forward to sign the pledge and champion Texas-first policies, one thing becomes clear: the question isn’t whether Texans will eventually vote on independence, but when.
“Nickson’s military background brings credibility to his commitment to Texas-first principles.”
That statement makes no sense, whatsoever. During his tenure with the US military, he was “committed” to obeying the orders of, and killing for, the DC King in unconstitutional, illegal wars. Which means he’s also an oath buster. How can I trust him?
I see military “service” as a negative in that you can never be sure where his loyalty lies at crunch time- is it with Texas or the DC King?