SALT LAKE CITY — The day after Judge Dianna Gibson issued her big ruling striking down Utah's congressional maps, she issued a second order.
In it, she formally rejected the Utah State Legislature's request to dismiss certain counts in the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government's lawsuit against them. But the judge also signaled she is not inclined to halt future proceedings.
"The parties should proceed in an attempt to resolve all outstanding issues as expeditiously as possible for the people of Utah," she warned in her order, adding that she would consider a stay if both sides agreed to it.
On Tuesday, FOX 13 News was told Republican leaders on Utah's Capitol Hill were meeting to evaluate the ruling and discuss what to do next. Better Boundaries, the group that ran Proposition 4, the 2018 voter-approved citizen ballot initiative to create an independent redistricting commission, was also looking at its next moves.
"We’ve really prepared for any and all scenarios," Elizabeth Rasmussen, Better Boundaries' executive director, said in an interview with FOX 13 News on Tuesday.
The group plans to build a pressure campaign to convince lawmakers not to appeal Judge Gibson's ruling to the Utah Supreme Court and adopt new maps.
What Utah's possible new Congressional districts might look like:
"The citizens said they wanted this. The courts have reaffirmed that decision. It’s time for the legislature to show that they respect Utahns' decisions, they respect the courts and let’s implement this," Rasmussen said.
Better Boundaries was a supporter of the lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, who sued the Utah State Legislature alleging they improperly overrode Prop. 4 and passed congressional maps that were illegally gerrymandered to benefit Republicans. The legislature argues it has the sole constitutional power to draw boundaries and it also has the power to modify a citizen ballot initiative that is passed by voters. In her ruling, Judge Gibson held that Prop. 4 is law in Utah.
Judge Gibson has scheduled a Friday status conference to discuss what happens next in the lawsuit. But her decision has already upended Utah politics, placing the state in the middle of a national debate over redistricting and accusations of gerrymandering. Texas, California and other states are threatening to redraw boundaries to impact the balance of power in Congress.
"Here in Utah? We were fine with the maps. This bringing us into this national debate and was unnecessary and unneeded," said Utah Republican Party Chair Robert Axson on Tuesday.
The Utah GOP, which is the state's dominant political party, has supported legislative efforts on redistricting. Axson said the party would weigh in again in support of the legislature. But he said the party was also looking beyond that.
"What we will do as a party is we will support that process, a fair process, we will support it going through the structure and system of a constitutional republic which is through the legislative process," Axson told FOX 13 News. "Ultimately, whatever maps we are forced to fight in and abide by? We will look to win."
Meanwhile, Democratic-aligned groups have already begun planning for the possibility of more competitive districts with new maps. Fundraiser emails started hitting inboxes within hours of the ruling and some liberal, progressive and moderate Democrats are floating names to run for congress if there are new seats in 2026.
"Potentially one’s more competitive, I don’t know, we might see two competitive districts," said Jackie Morgan with Elevate Strategies, a political consulting firm that runs Democratic campaigns. "We want to make sure we’re running strong campaigns in every single district and we want to have strong candidates in every single district regardless of how competitive they are. We want to make sure people know they can vote for Democrats in the state of Utah and we are seeing people excited to run."
One big name that could jump in? Former Congressman Ben McAdams. A political operative close to McAdams told FOX 13 News on Tuesday that phones are blowing up since Judge Gibson's ruling encouraging McAdams to run — and he is seriously considering it. He was the last Democrat to be elected to Congress in Utah.
McAdams himself did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Read the judge's new ruling here:
