A Utah judge has ordered state lawmakers to redraw their congressional districts, ruling that Republicans violated voter-approved safeguards against gerrymandering. This decision could give Democrats a rare opening in the ruby-red state.
Judge Rules Utah GOP Ignored Voter-Approved Anti-Gerrymandering Reforms
District Judge Dianna Gibson ruled last month that the Republican-controlled Legislature sidestepped reforms passed by voters in 2018 when it dismantled the state's independent redistricting commission and drew maps that split up Democratic-leaning Salt Lake County, according to The Hill.
Gibson ruled that Utah's current congressional maps are invalid because lawmakers disregarded the voter-approved redistricting initiative.
She ordered the Legislature to replace the maps within about a month, ahead of the midterms, unless higher courts intervene.
Republicans Blast Court Ruling As Democrats Eye Political Comeback
Democrats, who have not held a Utah House seat since 2020, called the decision "a mandate for change." Former Rep. Ben McAdams, the state's last Democratic member of Congress, is reportedly weighing a comeback.
"I think what Democrats are hoping here is they get some version of [a] district that's situated in Salt Lake County," said University of Utah political scientist Matthew Burbank. "That would at least make them competitive."
Republicans blasted the ruling. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said Utah's system was "under attack by Democrats and their leftist allies in the Utah courts."
President Donald Trump called it "absolutely Unconstitutional," adding on that Utah "sent four great Republicans to Congress, and we want to keep it that way."
See Also: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Advances As House GOP Squeezes Out 219-213 Win
Democrats Face Voter Registration Slump
Earlier this month, Democrats warned of a worsening registration decline after a New York Times analysis showed the party had lost ground to Republicans in all 30 states that register voters by party between 2020 and 2024, amounting to a net shift of about 4.5 million voters.
The erosion hit battlegrounds and blue states alike, with steep losses in Nevada and North Carolina, while Pennsylvania Democrats saw their active voter advantage shrink from more than 500,000 in 2020 to under 60,000 by summer 2024.
The trend was sharpest among men and younger voters, groups that leaned Republican in 2024.
Obama Praised Newsom's ‘Smart, Measured' Redistricting Strategy Against GOP
In August, former President Barack Obama endorsed Governor Gavin Newsom's (D-Calif) plan to rework House districts only if Republican-led states such as Texas redrew first, calling it "responsible" and "limited in scope."
Obama emphasized that America should move beyond partisan gerrymandering toward "a fair fight" based on ideas.
Newsom thanked Obama, pledging that California would act to "neutralize" any Texas attempt to tilt the House.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
