BREAKING: Assembly Leader Gallagher’s 2-State Solution to California’s Malfeasance

AENN

‘Two State Solution’ would be 7th largest state in the US

By Katy Grimes, August 27, 2025 10:51 am

California Assembly Republican Minority Leader James Gallagher (R–East Nicolaus) held a press conference Wednesday to announce a resolution calling for the creation of a new U.S. state made up of 35 inland California counties. This division of California between the coastal and inland counties, per Gallagher, will be called the “Two State Solution.”

Gallagher’s resolution is in response “to the chronic neglect of rural and inland California. The recent Democratic-led gerrymander would silence rural voices and rig the political system against them forever.”

AJR 23 proposes to form a new state made up of 35 inland California counties to finally give these areas a voice.

Gallagher said with California’s costs through the roof of fuel, water, fertilizer, people in the inland counties who have been long forgotten. “My representation has been stripped,” he explained as a result of Governor Gavin Newsom’s and Democrat’s jamming through redistricting maps, which strips away representation for the north counties.

“The Legislature promised this year it would address affordability concerns. It did not, and they are getting worse,” Gallagher said.

“The inland counties have little voice, and will have no voice after Gavinmander and Proposition 50.”

He talked about the right to representation and self-determination, which is the ability to pursue dreams. “The people of inland California have no ability to do that,” he said.

“California is run by politicians who don’t care because they don’t have to,” said Gallagher. “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 introduced Assembly Joint Resolution 23 to create a new state for inland  California and its 10 million residents. “This is the constitutional way to go about introducing a new state,” Gallagher said. “This is a new direction – our own statehood” where “governance would meet the needs of its people and isn’t totally incompetent.”

He said Orange County has expressed interest in being a part of the new state. We would govern ourselves.”

Gallagher addressed the existing mater management system in California and described it as “a complete disaster” in which there is “a government created drought.”

Gallagher said the issues plaguing the state aren’t new. “Wildlife prevention – the governor continues to cut that budget every year since 2021.”

“We don’t want any part of a government that won’t give us a voice.”

He explained that the two-state solution is delineated between the coastal counties and the inland counties. “Gavin Nerwsom can continue to govern the way they [coastal] want – $10 gas if you want. We don’t want that.”

Gallagher addressed the large Latino population in the inland counties, and noted that Latino voters have been voting against the establishment for a while now. “It’s probably why Gov. Newsom and Democrats shoved through redistricting to remove representation.”

“The people are oppressed,” Gallagher said. “Gavin, let my people go.”

Assembly Joint Resolution 23 – Two-State Solution:

Formally expresses California’s consent, as required under Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, to allow inland counties to form a new U.S. state, pending congressional approval.