A Win-Win for Washington State
Forming a more perfect union?
Washington State is no longer united in spirit. One part of the state governs, while the other is governed. One side sets the agenda; the other is told to accept it—or leave. But what if there were a better way? What if we didn’t have to split apart or stay locked in conflict? What if we embraced our differences while staying under one flag?
That’s the question Rep. Rob Chase asked in his May 2025 essay “A More Perfect Union.” He doesn’t push for secession or stir up division. He just speaks the plain truth: western and eastern Washington are different—different industries, different values, different priorities. And it’s time our state government started to reflect that.
“We are already two states in one,” Chase writes. “This isn’t about division; it’s about honest recognition of differences and restoring cooperation, not coercion.”
Win-Win for Washington Act
Building on that vision, House Bill 2085, introduced in the state legislature earlier this year, proposes a creative and peaceful step forward. The “Win-Win for Washington Act” would allow for the creation of joint legislative task force to study the idea of creating defined regions within the state that have more control over their own affairs.
This would enable different areas—like the Columbia Basin, the Olympic Peninsula, or the Cascade Corridor—to shape certain policies around taxation, land use, and education in ways that reflect the will of the people living there.
It’s not secession. It’s just local control—letting people make decisions where they live. It’s a way to keep Washington one state while giving each region the freedom to chart its own course.
Some will say that this idea goes too far. Others will say it doesn’t go far enough. But in a state where residents in rural areas have NO say over what happens in Olympia, the need for reform is obvious. HB 2085 offers a practical middle ground—one that avoids radical separation but still honors the independence and dignity of Washington’s counties.
Taxation without Representation
Still, for many in Eastern Washington, the deeper problem isn’t just policy—it’s representation. The way our legislature is set up, power follows population. That means five counties—King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, and Clark—decide the outcome on nearly every statewide bill. The rest of the state—34 counties in all—share fragmented or diluted representation.
That’s where the Convention of Counties comes in.
This grassroots movement aims to restore balance by reviving the original idea of a bicameral legislature. In Congress, the U.S. Senate gives every state equal representation, while the House follows population. Washington once followed that model: the House represented the people, and the Senate represented the counties. But after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Reynolds v. Sims (1964) ruling, both chambers were forced to follow population only.
The result? Rural voices got drowned out.
You can see the impact of this flawed ruling from coast to coast—from New York to Illinois to Washington state. In every state, the political power in the state resides in the population centers and the rural communities get shafted by woke big cities.
After Reynolds v Sims, Washington’s Senate became a second House, and the people of Wahkiakum, Ferry, or Columbia counties lost their ability to check the power of Seattle and Olympia. Many rural counties have to share one senator, while populous counties like King or Pierce end up with several.
One County, One Senator
The Convention’s plan is straightforward: one county, one senator. There are 39 counties, so there would be 39 state senators. Just like every state gets two U.S. senators, every county in Washington would get one seat in the state Senate. That’s what a “Republican Form of Government” is supposed to look like. To get started, 26 counties would sign on, and change could move forward with agreement from 30.
It’s bold. It’s fair. But it’s also an uphill climb. Courts have blocked similar efforts in the past. Also, there’s no roadmap for how a Convention of Counties would be recognized by state government. And many urban legislators would fight it tooth and nail. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong—it just means it may take longer.
So, what do we do now?
We start where we can. HB 2085 and the “Win-Win for Washington Act” framework give us a real, workable step forward. No lawsuits. No court battles. Just a mutual agreement to start treating our differences with respect and consider practical changes.
And while we push for local autonomy today, we keep building support for true county representation tomorrow. These aren’t competing ideas—they go hand in hand. One gives counties control over their policies. The other gives them a real voice in state law.
This isn’t about red vs. blue. It’s about fairness, balance, and restoring trust between the people and their government.
Washington doesn’t have to break apart. It needs to decentralize. It needs to listen again. And it needs to return power where it belongs—with the people in every county.
That’s a win-win for the whole state.
Nancy Churchill is a writer and educator in rural eastern Washington State, and the chair of the Ferry County Republican Party. She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own. Dangerous Rhetoric is available on Substack, X, and occasionally Rumble.
SOURCES:
1) A More Perfect Union, Rep. Rob Chase, May 21, 2025, https://bit.ly/44fSwiL
2) HB 2085 An Act Relating to Autonomous Regions in Washington State, Washington House of Representatives, April 24, 2025, https://bit.ly/4kVrGCZ
3) Proposal: Washington State - Convention of Counties, https://bit.ly/4dXJDi7
Thank you for the insights. One observation and improvement, both options can be pursued concurrently. The Convention of Counties, could be activated within months, and yes it will probably be challenged. If so, let the challenge run its course, who knows, it could be legitimized quickly with SCOTUS. The solution is Constitutionally based and legally sound. Simply, this supports a government For, Of and By the People.
Thank you, Nancy, for your excellent work! How can we help?