Last November, after President Trump's election, two Portland activists submitted—then, following threats, quickly withdrew—a ballot measure calling for Oregon's secession from U.S., and suggesting a merger with other Pacific states. Meanwhile, a "Calexit" ballot measure campaign stalled in April after news organizations started asking why the chief campaigner, Louis Marinelli, had recently moved to Russia. Theoretically, the legislatures of all three West Coast states could, with the approval of Congress, form a new unitary state. But the U.S. Constitution contains no provisions for states to withdraw from the union, so national independence would require a constitutional amendment, which in turn would need approval by a two-thirds super-majority in Congress.