DES MOINES, IOWA (WJON News) -- A central Iowa lawmaker proposes that Iowa buy the nine southern Minnesota counties on the Minnesota-Iowa border.

State Senator Mike Bousselot, a Republican from Ankeny, says despite cutting taxes and making the state more farm-friendly, Iowa just isn't growing fast enough.

"And so, looking for innovative ways like businesses grow—mergers and acquisitions—it used to be part of Iowa. Make it part of Iowa again. Make Minnesota Iowa Again."

Bousselot, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, says it's a very serious and realistic proposal, citing Indiana's speaker, who announced Tuesday they're looking to buy 33 Illinois counties.

"It would just be nine counties. It wouldn't change the electoral math for either state, but they fit into the culture of Iowa. They're agricultural, conservative, farming counties that would be in line with Iowa and really fit our state."

Democrats like House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst say buying part of Minnesota would be an inappropriate use of Iowa tax dollars.

Bousselot has not said how Iowa would pay for Minnesota's counties.

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Bousselot is an attorney who was former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad's chief of staff. He now operates a real estate business but isn't suggesting how much the State of Iowa would pay Minnesota for those counties.

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