Some Indiana lawmakers have taken steps to absorb the Illinois counties that have voted to leave the state. Last election, seven Illinois counties joined more than 20 others to greenlight a proposal to explore splitting from the state.

Legislation is being considered by state lawmakers that would redraw the state boundaries of Indiana to include a handful of counties in Illinois that are considering secession from the state. In the last year 33 counties in Illinois have held referenda in which residents in these counties approved plans to look into the possibility of seceding from Illinois and forming a new state.

Starting in 2020, non-binding referendums to secede from Illinois and create a new state have passed in 33 counties. Now, a high-ranking Republican in Indiana wants those counties to join Indiana instead of making a 51st state.

Indiana's legislature upped a long-standing rivalry with Illinois by introducing a bill to steal disgruntled counties. Why it matters: Indiana Republicans are seizing on the discord between Cook County and the state's rural counties,

I think this movement has a lot more teeth to it than the governor has given it credit for,” said a resident of Troy.

No. 19 Illinois opened a 28-point halftime lead Tuesday night in a 94-69 blowout of host Indiana to bounce back from a double-digit loss to USC.