In a striking political maneuver, California's Republican legislators have announced a plan to carve out a new state from the existing Golden State. The proposal, known as "The Two State Solution," targets 35 inland counties and is a direct counter to recent Democratic-controlled redistricting efforts. Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher unveiled Assembly Joint Resolution 23 in a Sacramento press conference on Wednesday.
This political gambit arises amidst claims from GOP leaders that the redistricting undermines Republican representation in Congress. According to Gallagher, the move is about giving a voice to residents in California's inland regions, who feel marginalized by current policies and regulations. The proposal illustrates the socioeconomic and political cleavages between California's coastal and inland areas.
The new state, as proposed, would encompass the Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, Northern California, and the Inland Empire, which combined house approximately 10 million people. The coastal counties, which typically lean towards the Democratic Party, would remain as part of the existing California.
Gallagher's resolution invokes Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the process for creating new states from territories of existing ones. However, this constitutional pathway is riddled with obstacles. Any initiative to split a state requires formal consent from the state legislature and the U.S. Congress, a daunting task given the Democrats' stronghold in both chambers.
The Republican leader used evocative language to convey the urgency of the proposal. He compared their struggle for representation to the biblical story of Moses, stating, "Gavin, let my people go," in a direct appeal to Governor Gavin Newsom. The plan comes in response to Proposition 50, a temporary redistricting measure that Republicans believe would unfairly advantage Democrats by altering congressional seats distribution.
While the resolution has garnered support from seven Republican co-sponsors in the Assembly and co-authorship from Sen. Megan Dahle in the Senate, Democratic leaders remain unimpressed. Governor Newsom dismissed the effort as a stunt, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass critiqued it as mere political theater.
Despite skepticism from the opposition, Gallagher's plan is not without merit. It underlines the increasing polarization within California and captures the frustrations of communities that feel their economic and political interests are being overshadowed by the coastal elite. The redistricting measure that provoked the GOP backlash is set to revert to the state's Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2030.
Should this proposal gain traction and succeed, it would mark a significant reconfiguration of California's political landscape. The new inland state would offer its residents an independent political voice, free from the influence of the coastal majority. Gallagher's initiative has also stirred curiosity among some coastal residents, indicating that the support for such a division might extend beyond the initially proposed boundaries.
