California Republicans Propose Splitting the State

The leader of the Republican Caucus in California is pushing back against Governor Gavin Newsom and the Democrats’ attempts to change the legislative map. They are suggesting that California be divided into two states.

On Tuesday, James Gallagher, a Republican council member from East Nicolaus in Sutter County, revealed plans to introduce a joint resolution at the Capitol on Wednesday. He’ll be joined by other GOP lawmakers for this initiative.

“We’ve realized that to draw necessary attention, we need to consider our own nation. This will be the first step in that journey,” Gallagher stated in a social media announcement.

The proposal aims to create a new state comprising 35 inland counties, which lean Republican in their voting patterns. This new state would have a population of over 10 million people, stretching from California’s northern border down to Mexico.

If the resolution passes, it would express Congress’s support for this division, although it would ultimately require federal approval. The measures will then go to the Legislature for further consideration.

To proceed, the resolution needs the green light from both chambers of the California State Legislature. However, it’s worth noting that Democrats currently hold a supermajority in both houses. Additionally, Congress would need to vote to formally acknowledge the new state as part of the union.

The last successful state division in the U.S. occurred in 1863, when West Virginia broke away from Virginia during the Civil War.