SACRAMENTO — California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher has introduced a resolution to split the state in two, carving out a new “inland” state from 35 counties — including El Dorado — in response to Democrats’ redistricting efforts ahead of the November election. The measure, Assembly Joint Resolution 23, formally expresses California’s consent under Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution to allow inland counties to pursue statehood, pending congressional approval. If enacted, the new state would encompass more than 10 million people, making it one of the ten largest states in the nation by population, stretching across Northern California, the Sierra Nevada, the Central Valley, and the Inland Empire.
Gallagher framed the move as a direct response to policies he argues disadvantage rural and inland communities.
“California is run by politicians who don’t care because they don’t have to,” Gallagher said. “They exploit our water, suppress our energy, skyrocket our costs, and kill our jobs. Whether you are from the North State, Central Valley, or the Inland Empire, life has become harder and completely unaffordable. We have been overlooked for far too long, and now they are trying to rip away what little representation we have left.”
Gallagher said the push for a two-state solution is the only way to ensure fair treatment.
“I have come to see that the only way we can obtain proper attention is by pursuing our own statehood. With this measure, we will begin the first step of that process. We will not be subject to a state that deprives us of a fair voice,”
he added, before closing with a pointed jab at Gov. Gavin Newsom:
“Gavin, let my people go.”
The resolution is nonbinding and faces long odds. Gov. Newsom blasted the measure, while Democrats maintain supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature. Even if AJR 23 clears Sacramento, congressional approval would still be required — a hurdle no California state-split effort has ever overcome. The State Library notes more than 220 such proposals have failed over the past 170 years, from the State of Jefferson movement to the 2018 “Cal-3” ballot plan.
For El Dorado County residents, the immediate impact is minimal. Nothing changes unless both the Legislature and Congress agree to the split. The more pressing development remains the November 4 vote on Proposition 50, the Newsom-backed ballot measure to overhaul the state’s redistricting process.
