‘Slap In The Face’: Republicans Irate Over Gerrymandered Map Blame One Of Their Own

Republican Utah Rep. Blake Moore is in some hot water with fellow party members who are blaming him for a gerrymandered congressional map that benefits Democrats.

In 2018, Moore supported a ballot measure, Proposition 4, to limit gerrymandering in his state. However, the measure ultimately kicked off a long battle between Republicans and Democrats that culminated in a new, gerrymandered map that handed Democrats a new blue seat in Salt Lake City, Politico reported.

Republicans failed to overturn the map in late March, and now they are pinning all the blame on “Salt Lake Blake.” They are also gearing up for a primary challenge.

“To a lot of the Republicans who have served for a long time and have been in leadership, like me, Prop 4 is a slap in the face,” Don Guymon, chair of the Davis County GOP in Moore’s new district, told Politico. “People are concerned, and I think we’ll see whether they hold Blake accountable for that or not.”

In 2017, Moore joined Better Boundaries, an anti-gerrymandering group, as a co-chair. The group subsequently helped establish an independent redistricting advisory commission through Proposition 4, which passed.

But it backfired on Republicans when, in 2025, District Judge Dianna Gibson ruled that Republicans in the Utah state House failed to comply with the new rule as they tried to redraw the congressional map and carve out four, safely red districts. Gibson opted for a different map that included the new blue seat in Salt Lake County. (RELATED: Judge Tosses Utah GOP Map Over ‘Partisan Gerrymandering,’ Orders Districts Redrawn)

Republicans attempted to repeal Prop 4, but failed to garner and verify enough signatures, despite President Donald Trump’s endorsement and the efforts of conservative activist group Turning Point Action.

Former state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, who’s challenging for Moore’s seat, told Politico, “What good is a leadership position when Blake made it easier for Democrats to take the House?”

“We blame Salt Lake Blake for this entire mess,” Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer said.

The backlash is “an opportunistic thing, to try to pin on me,” Moore told Politico. He also condemned Gibson’s 2025 ruling.

“I don’t support what the judge did,” Moore said. “She should have allowed for the state legislature to have their constitutional authority to finalize the maps.”