Blue State’s Bold Push to Redraw State Lines Gains Momentum
Oregon’s Conservative Heartland Fights to Join Idaho
Oregon’s political landscape is once again in the spotlight as tensions rise over the push to redraw state lines.
The Greater Idaho initiative, which seeks to move 13 conservative-leaning counties from Oregon to Idaho, has gained significant momentum in recent months, highlighting the growing divide between the state’s urban and rural areas.
Matt McCaw, executive director of the Greater Idaho movement, emphasized the importance of ensuring that eastern Oregon’s conservative communities have their political interests reflected at the state level.
“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,” he told Fox News.
The push for secession gained further momentum earlier this month when state Rep. Mark Owens, a Republican from Malheur, introduced House Bill 3844. This bill calls for the establishment of a task force that will examine the potential impact of shifting the state border to include eastern Oregon counties in Idaho.
The task force is expected to produce a report for lawmakers in Salem, though Owens did not respond to Fox News’ requests for comment.
The Greater Idaho movement began to gain traction in 2020, when several localities in eastern Oregon held votes supporting the idea of joining Idaho. The ideological divide between Oregon’s more liberal coastal region and its conservative interior has been a significant driver behind the movement.
This rift was made more apparent during the violent anti-police protests in Portland in 2020, which saw the city at the forefront of national unrest. In contrast, much of eastern Oregon has remained politically conservative and increasingly disillusioned with the state’s progressive policies.
Mike McCarter, president of the Greater Idaho movement, expressed optimism about the recent legislative efforts.
“We are encouraged to see the representatives of Eastern Oregon coming together to advocate for their voters by bringing these bills to the Legislature,” McCarter said, according to Fox News.
“The people of Eastern Oregon have made clear they want to explore moving the border and joining Idaho.”
Supporters of the movement argue that a border shift would benefit both states, aligning the political majority with the geographic and ideological make-up of the respective regions. By relocating the border, proponents believe both Oregon and Idaho would experience reduced political tensions and better representation for their populations.
However, such a change would require an interstate compact, a process that has been explored in other states, including Illinois and Iowa, where rural counties have sought alignment with neighboring states.
Despite gaining traction, the movement faces significant hurdles. Both Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little and Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek declined to comment on the potential for such a border shift.
Historically, attempts to redraw state lines or secede have been met with resistance. The creation of West Virginia from Virginia during the Civil War is one of the few successful examples of such a shift, Fox News highlights.
Meanwhile, in New York City, Staten Island has been attempting to secede from the city for decades, though those efforts have largely been blocked by state authorities.
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