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Fed up with leftist politics, 5 Oregon counties vote to join Idaho
Oregon Democratic Gov. Kate Brown (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Fed up with leftist politics, 5 Oregon counties vote to join Idaho

On Tuesday, thousands of residents from rural Oregon counties voted for their elected officials to consider becoming part of more conservative Idaho.

The state of Oregon is literally driving residents away with its progressive policies.

On Tuesday, thousands of residents from rural counties in the Beaver State voted for their elected officials to consider seceding from the state and becoming part of conservative neighbor Idaho.

Disgruntled voters in Sherman, Lake, Grant, Baker, and Malheur counties voted in favor of the proposition, joining two other counties — Union and Jefferson — that already approved the move during the November election, the Idaho Statesman reported.

With the majority of constituents voting in favor of the resolution, county commissioners in each of the seven counties are now reportedly tasked with meeting together to discuss moving forward with the measure.

The push is part of larger initiative called "Greater Idaho," which aims to relocate as many as 22 Oregon counties to a state that more accurately represents them politically.

On the project's website, organizers argue, "The purpose of having state lines is to allow this variance. The Oregon/Idaho border was established 161 years ago and is now outdated. It makes no sense in its current location because it doesn't match the location of the cultural divide in Oregon."

And it's not only unhappy Oregon counties that the project is after. Greater Idaho is looking to attract more conservative counties in southeastern Washington and northeastern California, as well.

Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little is reportedly in favor of the measure, but acknowledged that it has a long way to go before becoming a reality.

He said in a statement, "I understand why many people want to be Idahoans. They're looking at Idaho fondly because of our strong economy, regulatory atmosphere and our values. Still, the decision to change Idaho and Oregon's borders would need to go through both states' legislatures and the U.S. Congress for approval. There's a lot that needs to happen before the border is within the realm of possibility."

As Little stated, the measure would need to be approved by both the Idaho and Oregon state legislatures before heading to the U.S. Congress, which is currently controlled by Democrats, for final approval. It's safe to say that, at this point, the move looks like a long shot to succeed.

But organizers of the project call the move a "win-win" for the interests of each of the states involved, since the proposal is not aiming to create a new state and thus will not affect the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.

Nevertheless, despite its current prospects in the state legislatures and U.S. Congress, it appears that the movement is picking up steam among residents.

"This election proves that rural Oregon wants out of Oregon. If Oregon really believes in liberal values such as self-determination, the Legislature won't hold our counties captive against our will," Mike McCarter, president of Citizens for Greater Idaho, said in a news release. "If we're allowed to vote for which government officials we want, we should be allowed to vote for which government we want as well."

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