West Virginia state Sen. Chris Rose is renewing and expanding his push for conservative-leaning counties in Maryland and Virginia to break away from their states and unite with West Virginia — a campaign he has labeled “An Appeal to Heaven.”
On Tuesday, Rose announced on X that he was broadening his proposal to include additional counties in western Virginia.
“Exciting update on our Appeal to Heaven movement for freedom in Appalachia!” Rose wrote. “Due to overwhelming interest and support, I’m thrilled to announce we’ve expanded our Senate resolution inviting even more Virginia counties, along with counties from Maryland, to join West Virginia. Now including Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Floyd, Pulaski, and Rockbridge, counties that share our values of freedom, Second Amendment rights, and rural prosperity. Let those country roads take you home. Break free from out of touch policies and unite for a stronger future.”
Rose urged residents to “take action now,” linking to a petition and telling followers to “sign the petition in the comments below to support this movement and make your voice heard!”
He later shared the petition again, writing, “Here’s the petition to support our Appeal to Heaven movement and invite these counties to join West Virginia for true freedom and prosperity.”
The petition, promoted by a group calling itself West Virginia Constitutional Conservatives, presents West Virginia as a refuge from what it describes as overreach by lawmakers in Annapolis and Richmond.
“For too long, rural communities in Western Virginia and Western Maryland have been ruled by distant politicians in Richmond and Annapolis who don’t share our values,” the petition reads. The WVCC accuses Maryland and Virginia officials of restricting gun rights, raising taxes, “indoctrinating” children, and advancing “radical green experiments.”
West Virginia, the group argues, “stands strong—defending freedom, faith, family, and the Constitution” and provides “a lawful path” for counties to vote on switching state lines. It cites a resolution from Rose and prior legislation from Del. S. Chris Anders, who introduced House Bill 2611 to allow border localities to join West Virginia through local elections. That bill died in committee during the 2025 session, but Anders intends to reintroduce it in 2026, according to the petition.
As written, the resolution could require approval from lawmakers in all three states and Congress to take effect. It would also raise complex logistical questions, particularly in Virginia, where independent cities do not fall under county jurisdiction and could become enclaves inside West Virginia if counties voted to leave.
The six newly named Virginia counties bring Rose’s total outreach to 33 jurisdictions: three in Maryland and 30 in Virginia.
His initial push came days after Democratic victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City. The Virginia counties he is courting all backed Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears in the most recent election, a pattern Rose has acknowledged as intentional, saying they “share our values of freedom, Second Amendment rights, and rural prosperity.”
Rose’s petition arrives at a time when Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) has drawn criticism over cost overruns and policy decisions. Moore faced backlash for possibly losing the planned FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland; the Washington Commanders’ plans to move back to the District of Columbia; depleting a $5.5 billion state surplus; and signing major tax increases into law.
The Washington Post editorial board recently blasted Moore’s redistricting proposal in an op-ed titled, “Wes Moore embarrasses Maryland with his gerrymandering ploy,” accusing him of attempting to “disenfranchise his Republican constituents … because he wants to be president.”
Maryland officials also announced this week that reconstruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, destroyed in a 2024 cargo ship collision, will cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, more than double the initial estimate, and is now delayed to 2030. The ballooning cost has prompted new political tensions. Online critics have also seized on the revised price tag for Moore, with one X user writing, “This is who Obama wants for President.”
In Virginia, Democrats now hold more political power following recent elections that elevated Democrat Abigail Spanberger to the governor’s office and expanded Democratic leadership in the legislature. This week, Democrats in the House of Delegates outlined their early priorities for the 2026 session, including protections for abortion and LGBT rights, new redistricting efforts, increasing the minimum wage, and expanding paid sick leave.
Rose’s campaign remains largely symbolic for now, though he insists there is a legitimate path toward county-led referendums on leaving their states. County governments in Maryland or Virginia have not taken formal action on the proposal.
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The petition circulated by Rose concludes with a call for voters to “take country roads home to ‘Best Virginia’” and urges residents to add their names to support the secession effort.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Moore’s and Spanberger’s offices for comment.
