California may be on the brink of a political earthquake.
Republicans are pushing a bold plan to split California in half, creating two new states — one dominated by liberal coastal elites and another built around the conservative inland heartland.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) is expected to announce the plan Wednesday, filing AJR-23, a measure he calls a “two-state solution” to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s controversial redistricting scheme.
Conservatives Say Rural Voices Are Being Silenced
Gallagher argues that inland Californians have been ignored for decades while coastal elites in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Silicon Valley dictate policy.
“The people of inland California have been overlooked for too long. It’s time for a two-state solution,” Gallagher said.
His resolution is a direct response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mid-decade redistricting plan, which Republicans warn is a blatant power grab designed to cement Democratic dominance.
Newsom Accused of “Rigging the System”
Republicans are furious that Newsom pushed through a map overhaul behind closed doors, bypassing the state’s independent redistricting commission.
Gallagher blasted the move as a “mockery of democracy.”
“These are rigged maps, drawn in secret to give Democrat politicians more power by silencing rural voters,” he said.
State Sen. Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) added that Democrats only “discovered” redistricting when it became useful for their agenda — despite opposing it just months earlier.
How the New States Would Be Divided
Under Gallagher’s two-state proposal, California would be split along a line close to Interstate 5, creating two dramatically different states:
- Inland California – About 10 million residents across conservative strongholds like Sutter County, Kern County (home of Rep. Kevin McCarthy), and the Inland Empire counties of Riverside and San Bernardino. This state would be reliably red, reshaping national politics.
- Coastal California — Home to nearly 29.5 million residents, the new state would be anchored by left-wing power hubs including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and the Bay Area suburbs. Liberal enclaves like Oakland and wine-country regions such as Sonoma would keep the state firmly in Democrat hands. Even with politically mixed areas like San Diego and historically conservative Orange County included, the overwhelming influence of the coastal elite would ensure the region stays dominated by the far left.
This division would shift the balance of power nationwide. Texas could be the most populated state, edging out Coastal California, while Inland California could instantly rank as the 11th most populous state.
Republicans: Stop the “California Power Grab”
Republican leaders say the fight is about more than maps — it’s about restoring fairness in elections.
Senate GOP Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego County) said Newsom wasn’t elected to “play gerrymandering games for his presidential ambitions,” but to fix California’s real problems.
Gallagher doubled down, saying:
“Californians should choose their representatives, not the other way around.”
What Happens Next?
Gallagher will hold a press conference in Sacramento at 10 a.m. PT to outline the proposal in detail. Democrats are expected to resist the split fiercely — but for millions of conservatives, this could be the only way to finally break free from California’s one-party rule.
👉 Big Question for Readers: Do you think splitting California into two states would finally give rural conservatives a voice — or would it make America’s divide even deeper?
