A district judge in Utah just tossed a Republican Congressional map overnight and chose a Democrat-made map instead, which will give them a solid chance of winning a seat in the deep red state.
Republicans are calling this judicial activism and you can be sure they are going to appeal it.
Here’s more from KUTV:
BREAKING: Utah Judge Dianna Gibson refuses the Utah Legislature’s MAP C in redistricting lawsuit.
Judge Gibson picked the Plaintiffs Map 1 which will create a democratic favored seat in a late night ruling just before the midnight deadline. #utpol pic.twitter.com/CZZCuqZBs6
— Heidi Hatch KUTV (@tvheidihatch) November 11, 2025
Utah’s Republican leaders are blasting a late-night ruling by a district court judge that struck down the congressional map approved by the Legislature, calling it an act of “judicial activism” and government overreach.
Judge Dianna Gibson issued her decision just before midnight Monday, ruling that the Legislature’s Map C, adopted through Senate Bill 1012, violates the standards outlined in Proposition 4 — Utah’s 2018 voter-approved redistricting reform measure.
Gibson found that Map C “fails to abide and conform with the requirements of Proposition 4” and ordered the state to instead use Map 1, one of two maps submitted by the plaintiffs, for the 2026 congressional elections. The ruling blocks the Legislature’s plan and directs the lieutenant governor to implement the plaintiffs’ map until another valid plan is approved or overturned on appeal.
The decision could reshape Utah’s political landscape by potentially creating a more competitive district among the state’s four U.S. House seats.
House Speaker Mike Schultz called the ruling “a sad day for Utah,” saying it disregards the legislative process and the will of the voters.
“One judge has chosen to override the work of the people’s elected representatives,” Schultz said. “The Legislature acted within the bounds of the law, and we’ll continue to defend that process.”
State Rep. Candice Pierucci, who helped draft Map C, sharply criticized the ruling, calling it politically motivated.
“This is a clear example of judicial activism,” Pierucci said. “One unelected judge decided that her personal opinion outweighs Utah’s Constitution and the will of the people — and that’s unacceptable. Our Constitution should be interpreted, not rewritten from the bench.”
Pierucci added that lawmakers worked under strict deadlines set by the court.
“The judge drove the entire process, set aggressive deadlines, and refused to grant an extension. We followed her direction every step of the way — turns out, she was orchestrating it from the start,” she said.
The Legislature may appeal the ruling to the Utah Supreme Court. Unless a higher court intervenes, Map 1 — created by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government — will be used in the 2026 elections.
You can read more about this at the Daily Caller, who has a good article on it.