Well, howdy there, Internet people, it spell again.

So today, we're going to talk about a GOP gerrymander backfire in Utah.

In a turn of events, you couldn't possibly predict, especially with the current rhetoric from Republicans,

aimed at California's move to ask voters

for permission to not use the independent redistricting commission. A federal judge has ordered

Utah to redraw its maps. The maps are widely seen as heavily gerrymandered, and have been

since they were drawn up in 2021.

And it certainly appears the Republicans engaged in cracking, which is where you split up

a geographic area that favors your political opposition.

The map literally divided the Salt Lake area, which is a Democratic center among all four congressional districts, diluting their voting power.

But that's not the surprising or funny part.

Despite current rhetoric, the Republican Party has engaged in heavy gerrymandering all over the country for years.

The funny part is why they have to redraw their maps. District Court Judge Diana Gibson's ruling said, quote,

The nature of the violation lies in the legislature's refusal to respect the people's exercise

of their constitutional lawmaking power and to respect the people's exercise of their constitutional lawmaking power

and to honor the people's right to reform their government. So, what's that mean? The real problem is that

Republicans ignored and weakened a nonpartisan independent commission that was designed to prevent

gerrymandering and was created by voters back in 2018. That's right. As Republicans talk about how

horrible it is that Governor Newsom is going back to voters to ask for permission to redraw the maps because

California has an independent commission. The Republican Party in Utah was found by a judge

to have simply ignored the voters. Something something represent or rule. The chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee praised the ruling and said, quote,

In throwing out the current gerrymandered congressional map,

...