Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Greater Idaho - a super long shot

They can call it gaining traction but it's like climbing a steep icy hill with bald tires. It's not going to happen. However, some Idaho legislators have called for Idaho to at least take a look at it. But, there's no possible way that the OR legislature would ever give up all those millions of acres. It would also cost OR a house seat. However, that seat is currently held by a Republican and I'm guess that's unlikely to change.



The Idaho Legislature may soon ask its neighbors to the west to join a conversation about absorbing some of its counties.

Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, on Wednesday introduced a joint memorial that would ask the Democrat-dominated Oregon Legislature to discuss the Greater Idaho movement with the Idaho Legislature.

The movement seeks to secede eastern Oregon counties from their state and join Republican-led Idaho, which, supporters say, better aligns with their political ideals.

“Eastern Oregon has been quite unhappy with their state,” Boyle told the House State Affairs Committee. “Portland seems to be able to run everything there.”
County secession would require support from the Oregon and Idaho legislatures as well as Congress.

“Is it a long shot? Probably,” Boyle said. “But how will we know if we never start?”

Eleven Oregon counties in recent years have voted to support the Greater Idaho movement in some fashion, such as directing their local officials to hold meetings or allowing them to use taxpayer money to explore the idea.

Morrow and Wheeler counties in November approved ballot measures that showed support for the move. After those votes, Greater Idaho leader Mike McCarter called on western Oregon to “stop holding our counties captive in this unhappy marriage.”

“Actually, it’s not even as dramatic as a divorce because we’re not breaking up a family,” McCarter said in a news release.