Illinois Republicans endorse Indiana's move to annex counties
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
/2025/03/06/1741287668681.gif?w=3840)
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
The Indiana Legislature has Illinois in its crosshairs, renewing a storied state rivalry.
Why it matters: The political maneuvering could reimagine how both states look — or might just poke at your civic pride.
The latest: The Indiana House has passed two bills in recent weeks, one targeting downstate counties and another targeting Chicago sports teams.
- But these measures may be designed more for political posturing than reality.
The big picture: The majority Republican state seems to be emboldened, aiming for Gov. JB Pritzker and the majority Democratic state of Illinois.
- In Illinois, Democrats hold all statewide elected offices and a supermajority in the House and Senate.
- In Indiana, the GOP holds all statewide elected offices and supermajorities in both of its chambers.
Zoom in: One bill would annex several downstate Illinois counties that approved ballot measures to separate from the state.
Reality check: Indiana can't just grab counties, especially since most of the ballot measures weren't about leaving Illinois, but splitting with Cook County.
- Plus, Illinois would need to play along and OK the deal — which, in 2025, under Democratic control, is not happening.
What they're saying: Illinois Republicans are seizing on the move to emphasize their frustrations with Democrats, pointing out their own bill to split the state.
- "The frustration in rural Illinois is real, and it is growing by the day, and so it is good to see Indiana continuing its efforts to support the liberation of Illinois counties," state Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) tells Axios.
- "I hope Illinois considers following Indiana's lead. HB 1500 deserves a hearing in Illinois."
- HB 1500 would require Pritzker to appoint a commission to study adjusting the state boundaries if Indiana passes its bill.
Yes, but: If Indiana did annex the 33 conservative-leaning downstate counties, Illinois Republicans would lose those voters.
The intrigue: Indiana also seems to want to lure a Chicago sports franchise across the border. The House passed a bill to establish a task force to explore building a stadium for a sports franchise like the Bears.
Zoom out: The Bears are pushing for the state of Illinois to invest billions for a new stadium on the Museum Campus or in Arlington Heights, but the governor and the legislature haven't shown much interest in making that happen on the state's dime.
- Even if the Bears, who haven't shown interest in relocating to Indiana, entertain the notion of building across the state line, it's highly unlikely the state of Indiana has billions of dollars to spend to make a new stadium a reality.
- Plus, Indiana already has an NFL team — the Indianapolis Colts.
Between the lines: Indiana has made it clear that any sports franchise looking for a new stadium would be welcome, which could include other franchises in need of a new home — namely, the Chicago White Sox.
- That could be more appealing since Indiana does not have an MLB team.
The bottom line: These latest moves may heat up an ideological fight between the two states, but the reality is that it may be more bluster than beef.
What's next: The Indiana Senate would have to approve the two bills for either to be passed into law.