Overview

• Assemblymember James Gallagher proposed a "two state solution" to split off inland California, arguing the region has been overlooked.
• He linked the idea to Democrats’ November ballot measure that would suspend the independent redistricting map and adopt a temporary plan that could cut up to five Republican seats.
• The envisioned new state would span from Imperial County to Del Norte County, covering the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and much of Northern California.
• Reported vote totals for the proposed territory show a nearly 8-point margin for Donald Trump in 2024 after narrow wins for Joe Biden in 2020 and Hillary Clinton in 2016.
• Coverage notes the plan has virtually no path forward because state division requires approval by the California Legislature and the U.S. Congress, and past efforts such as Tim Draper’s 2014 six-state proposal failed to advance.