West Virginia State Senator Chris Rose (R) introduced a resolution Thursday inviting 30 counties in Virginia and Maryland to join his state.
rose in a release Posted on FacebookHe called on 27 counties in Virginia and three in Maryland to join West Virginia to “strengthen regional ties and promote shared Appalachian values.”
The release also said residents of the counties “may be concerned about policies in their current states that may not align with local priorities,” such as Second Amendment rights, economic development and rural representation.
Democrat Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday won the Virginia gubernatorial raceWill replace Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Meanwhile, Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) launched a Redistricting Advisory Commission Earlier that day, he said the goal was to ensure his state had “fair and representative maps.”
“These regions share geographic, economic, cultural and historical ties with West Virginia, including a strong Appalachian heritage, rural lifestyle and a focus on individual freedom,” Rose said.
This is not the first time such a step has been taken. In 2021, Rose highlighted three Maryland counties, state legislators in Garrett, Allegany and Washington counties, asked West Virginia legislative leaders to join the state,
Such a move by Virginia and Maryland counties would require approval from both state legislatures and Congress, which Rose’s proposal acknowledges. The state senator’s release said copies of the resolution will be sent to Youngkin, Moore and legislative leaders from both states, as well as 30 county commissions and West Virginia’s congressional delegation.
Congress had only previously approved changes to state boundaries three times: in 1792, when Kentucky was separated from Virginia; in 1820, when it cut Maine off from Massachusetts; and in 1862, when it accepted as part of West Virginia those counties that had previously been in Virginia.
