Commentary: Finally some fairness in redistricting fight. In Utah, a judge stands up for voters

GOP lawmakers ignored a voter-created commission and gerrymandered the state.

A judge ordered new maps that could tip a Utah congressional seat toward Democrats.

It’s been more than 60 years since Utah backed a Democrat for president . The state’s last Democratic U.S. senator left office nearly half a century ago and the last Utah Democrat to serve in the House lost his seat in 2020.

But, improbably enough, Utah has suddenly emerged as a rare Democratic bright spot in the red-vs.-blue redistricting wars .

Late last month, a judge tossed out the state’s slanted congressional lines and ordered Utah’s GOP-run Legislature to draw a new political map, ruling that lawmakers improperly thumbed their noses and overrode voters who created an independent redistricting commission to end ger