From Fox News: A district judge in Utah is expected to make a blockbuster ruling on Monday on which of three congressional maps the red state will use in the 2026 midterm elections.
The decision by Utah District Judge Dianna Gibson on which map she chooses could determine if Democrats have a fighting chance next year of flipping one of the state’s current four Republican-controlled U.S. House seats.
Utah is the latest state to find itself smack in the middle of the high-stakes redistricting showdown between President Donald Trump and Republicans versus Democrats to shape the midterm battlefield in the fight for the House majority.
The faceoff over redistricting in Utah, a state Trump carried by nearly 22 points in last year’s presidential election, was triggered by a lawsuit by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government, which prompted Gibson to throw out the state’s current congressional map. The plaintiffs argued that the current map favored Republicans.
At Gibson’s demand, the GOP-controlled state legislature reportedly draw a new map, which lawmakers approved last month. The new map drawn by the legislature could give Democrats a chance of flipping a U.S. House seat in two of the state’s four districts.
Two other maps were drawn by the plaintiffs. Gibson has stated she will choose one of the new maps by Monday, November 10.
ABOUT THIS JUDGE: Judge Dianna M. Gibson was appointed to Utah’s Third District Court in October 2018 by Governor Gary R. Herbert, a Republican. She took the bench in January 2019.
KUTV anchor Heidi Hatch explained:
Utah’s political map — and who draws it — is at the center of two major developments this week.
A state district judge is expected to issue a key ruling Monday (today) on which of three proposed congressional maps Utah will use in the 2026 midterm elections. The decision will determine whether Democrats have a shot at flipping one of the state’s four Republican-held U.S. House seats.
At the same time, Utah Republicans are holding meetings across the state to push a ballot initiative to repeal Proposition 4, the law that created the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission. Supporters of the repeal effort need to collect about 140,000 signatures to get the measure on the 2026 ballot, giving voters the final say on whether to keep or scrap the commission.
Even if the Utah GOP is successful, Judge Gibson’s ruling will decide Utah’s Congressional Districts for the 2026 election cycle.
Utah’s political map — and who draws it — is at the center of two major developments this week.
A state district judge is expected to issue a key ruling Monday (today) on which of three proposed congressional maps Utah will use in the 2026 midterm elections. The decision will… pic.twitter.com/Qtf8odg1Pt
— Heidi Hatch KUTV (@tvheidihatch) November 10, 2025
Judge set to choose new congressional map in fight that could reshape House control https://t.co/8hEa44CjzJ #FoxNews
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) November 10, 2025
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