SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A Utah judge has rejected a new congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers, instead approving a Democrat-leaning plan that consolidates Salt Lake County into a single district ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The ruling, delivered late Monday by U.S. District Judge Dianna Gibson, found that the GOP-backed map “unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats.”
Gibson selected a map submitted by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, ruling that it aligns with voter-approved anti-gerrymandering standards. The new plan overturns the Legislature’s previous map, which had split Salt Lake County among all four congressional districts, diluting the influence of the state’s largest Democratic population center.
Republicans, who currently control all four of Utah’s U.S. House seats, criticized the ruling as judicial overreach. State Rep. Matt MacPherson called Gibson’s decision a “gross abuse of power” and announced plans to file an impeachment bill. Meanwhile, Democrats praised the ruling as “a win for every Utahn” and a step toward fairer representation.
The decision could make Utah’s 2nd District competitive for Democrats for the first time in years. GOP leaders are now considering a ballot initiative to repeal Proposition 4, which created Utah’s Independent Redistricting Commission.
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