Utah’s recent redistricting didn’t just create a more left-leaning district — it also paved the way for two serious primary challenges to Republican incumbents.
Moore vs. Lisonbee
Rep. Blake Moore currently serves over District 1 in northern Utah,but is seeking reelection for District 2 because of the shifting boundaries.
He's now facing off against State Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, who blames Moore for the GOP’s losses in the redistricting battle.
That’s because, before running for elected office, Moore was one of the original Republican co-chairs of Better Boundaries in 2017 and an original signatory on the application to eventually get Proposition 4 on the ballot.
However, Moore has publicly opposed the recent court rulings over Prop 4, saying the redistricting commission went beyond its original goal.
Moore has already qualified for the primary by submitting 7,000 signatures. Lisonbee, who announced her candidacy last month, is looking to qualify through this weekend’s Republican nominating convention, where delegates decide which candidates they want to compete for their party’s nomination at the primaries.
Maloy vs. Lyman
Meanwhile, shifted boundaries have changed Representative Celeste Maloy’s battle map from District 2 to 3, and with it a more conservative lean.
That leaves an opening for her opponent, former state lawmaker and gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman.
Neither candidate has collected the needed 7,000 signatures to qualify for the primary ballot outright — as of Monday, Maloy had gathered 6,055 and Lyman 1,420.
That means their candidacies likely depend on the nominating convention this weekend.
Dates to watch for
The Republican state nominating convention will be at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, April 25 at 7 a.m.
For Democrats, the nominating convention will be at Jordan High School in Sandy on Saturday starting at 8 a.m., with a "training run" the day before.
Then primary elections will be held on June 23 to decide who goes on the November ballot.
