After redistricting saga, Moore leads GOP primary for Utah’s second congressional district

Incumbent Rep. Blake Moore is on track to defeat state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee in the Republican primary for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District — where he is expected to go on and win the deep-red district during November’s general election. 

Preliminary results, released after polls closed on Tuesday night, show Moore with 58% of votes and Lisonbee trailing with 42%.

Moore, a three-term incumbent who is endorsed by President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, has represented Utah in Congress since 2021.

Lisonbee, a state lawmaker from Clearfield who has served in the Utah House of Representatives since 2017, received the party’s nomination during their convention in April with roughly 61.5% (552) of delegate votes. Moore only received 33.7% (302) of votes, but gathered enough signatures to appear on the ballot. 

“This is still a celebration. It’s a celebration of people who will put their heads down and work with me to campaign to spread the word, and to stand up for freedom, for liberty, for individual responsibility, for fighting corruption in DC and corruption here in Utah,” Lisonbee told supporters at an election watch party. “That is what I’ve stood for in the 16 years that I’ve served in public office, and to have so many people stand by my side in this race and fight it with me has been the honor of a lifetime.”

Lisonbee will serve the remainder of her term in the Utah Legislature before leaving office.

A deeper red CD2

In November, Utah’s federal political landscape was turned upside down when a judge selected a new congressional map drawn by plaintiffs in a lawsuit that led the courts to restore the 2018 voter-approved anti-gerrymandering initiative known as Proposition 4. 

The new map turned Congressional District 1 — previously a GOP stronghold — into a safe seat for Democrats. Redistricting also made the remaining three districts, including District 2, more Republican. 

Throughout the primary race, Lisonbee has criticized Moore for his past involvement as a co-chair of Better Boundaries, the anti-gerrymandering group that successfully pursued Proposition 4. 

The new District 2 — which covers northern Utah — stretches across Box Elder, Cache, Rich and Davis counties, as well as the majority of Weber County.

Moore will advance to the general election on Nov. 3 to face Democrat Peter Crosby, Libertarian Daniel Cottam, Independent American Carlton Bowen, and unaffiliated candidate Robert Moesinger.

This story is breaking and will be updated.