If anyone's curious in outsider (who has visited a fair amount) perspective...
Texas is kind of a mini United States inside the United States. Because it is so fucking big, it encompasses a dramatic mix of landscapes and biomes. It has a unique blend of cultural influences from the Spanish who set up missions, Mexicans who came north, Germans and Czechs who came overseas, and settlers from the American southeast who brought slavery (and therefore a major African influence) with them. This fairly unique stew of influences created some truly native cuisine and music - both of which are often really damn good. It also has the unusual (but not wholly unique) distinction of having been a sovereign nation for a brief period of time.
All of this contributes to the mix of pride and exceptionalism that is simultaneously admirable and nauseating. It's admirable because having pride in one's home is an absolutely essential ingredient to ensure investment in that place's success, and Texans are fucking invested. It's nauseating because it helps breeds an incredible amount of insularity, ignorance, and tribalistic isolation. I think it's cool as hell that people in Texas fly the state flag everywhere and are fiercely proud of Texan artists and Texan cuisine. I think it's fucking ridiculous that Bud Light has to slap the state outline on the label to sell it's product. I'm almost positive I could stamp a lone star into cowpies, and sell them at Buccees. I'm also envious of how you can roll into some tiny town in absolute nowhere Texas and find a crazy good band tearing it up on a Saturday night.
America right now is in the middle of being divided between urban and rural, and the differences in culture from one state to another are becoming less. Texas is politically in the same place as all other states controlled by Republicans. The unique spirit of it's people seems to still come through, but who knows for how long. Who knows how long that will exist anywhere.