NEW: Counties’ Effort To Secede From Blue State Gains Steam

Northwestern conservatives leading the charge to secede their red, rural counties from a reliably blue state got a boost to their efforts over the weekend as a Republican lawmaker promised to officialize an investigation into making their dream a reality.

For years, the Greater Idaho movement has stagnated as 13 of Oregon’s reddest counties have rowed together to try and separate their homes from places like Portland, an epicenter of violent Black Lives Matter riots in the summer of 2020. Now, legislation has been filed to explore the details of how residents may do so.

State Rep. Mark Owens, R-Malheur, filed HB 3844, which would establish and direct a task force to explore extending the Idaho border into eastern Oregon. A final report would be compiled and presented to lawmakers in Salem, according to Fox News.

Greater Idaho president Mike McCarter said in a statement to the outlet: “We are encouraged to see the representatives of Eastern Oregon coming together to advocate for their voters by bringing these bills to the Legislature. The people of Eastern Oregon have made clear they want to explore moving the border and joining Idaho.

“This movement has always been about the people of Eastern Oregon, getting their voice heard and helping those communities get the kind of state-level governance they actually want.”

“If the Oregon Legislature truly believes in democracy, they will honor those voters’ wishes and move forward on making a border change happen,” executive director Matt McCaw told Fox News Digital. “Both bills have been moved into committee and are awaiting further action there.”

Proponents on both the right and the left have portrayed the potential change as a “win-win” for democracy: Liberals would gain a stranglehold over Oregon while conservatives would see their concerns represented in Idaho, home to an all-Republican federal delegation and Republican supermajorities in the state legislature.

As part of the deal, an “interstate compact” must be struck between both states. Despite other parts of the country making similar attempts, all have been in vain going back more than 150 years.

The last change in state boundaries occurred in 1863 when the 55 counties of West Virginia voted to secede from Virginia, creating the dividing lines still in existence today. Doing so, according to the Washington Post, was a way for northerners to “defend the ‘United States’… rather than the ‘seceded states’.”

If successful, Oregon may pave the way for other secessionist-minded movements to push for similar results. Counties in eastern Illinois have sought to add their numbers to Indiana, their redder next door neighbor. Staten Island, home to several GOP congressmen, has famously sought for decades to break from New York City and conduct its own municipal elections.

“I think it’s time to secede,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) said shortly after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced New York would be adopting traffic congestion pricing.

“There’s no real value in being part of this city or the state. We didn’t vote for this mayor; we didn’t vote for this governor; and we didn’t vote for this president, but we’re always the ones getting screwed,” she said.