Photos supplied

SALT LAKE CITY — One of the three GOP hopefuls, at least, has referenced U.S. Rep. Blake Moore’s residency outside the confines of the 1st District.

Moreover, it was a point of debate during Moore‘s election campaign in 2020, when he first won election to the U.S. House seat representing Northern Utah.

The incumbent, though, rebuffs talk that he’s not connected to the district. The U.S. Constitution only requires that House members live in the states they represent, not necessarily the specific district. What’s more, Moore notes that his Salt Lake City home, even if it isn’t inside the 1st District, sits just one block from the redrawn district boundary line in the 2nd District.

Moore, going for his second term, and two other GOP contenders, Tina Cannon and Andrew Badger, face off in the Republican primary on June 28. Rick Jones is vying on the Democratic side.

“He’s an Ogden boy, born and raised in Weber County; he earned transcripts from all three major universities in the 1st District; and he has lived in Cache and Davis counties,” the Moore campaign said in a statement to the Standard-Examiner.

Images supplied, Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office and Legislative Redistricting Committee

Moore graduated from Ogden High School, simultaneously attending Weber State University during his senior year. After high school, he went to Utah State University for his freshman year and in 2005 received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, now within the confines of the 1st District. He also lived at times in Cache and Davis counties.

Cannon referenced her roots in the area in touting her candidacy, contrasting her years living in the 1st District with that of Moore and Badger, the third GOP hopeful. She now lives in Morgan and has resided in the district all her life.

Badger lives in Summit Park, and though he’s now registered to vote in the district, he hasn’t cast a ballot in its confines. However, he notes that he’s a fifth-generation Utahn.

Aside from his ties to the 1st District — attending universities in its confines and growing up in Ogden — Moore’s campaign noted that his move to Salt Lake City after living abroad serving in the U.S. foreign service had a practical aspect. He moved to the Utah capital in part to be near his wife’s parents “for help with their young family, which includes a child with special needs,” according to his campaign’s statement.

The campaign statement went on, noting Moore’s efforts serving the area in the U.S. House.

His challengers “are grasping at straws by making this their core issue. They know he has broad support in Northern Utah because of what he’s done to defend Hill Air Force Base and for how he’s helping Utahns stay focused on the real issues facing them, including crippling inflation, rising gas prices and weak foreign policy from the current administration,” the campaign said.

Some of the other GOP contenders in the 2020 1st District race also noted, with chagrin, Moore’s residency outside the district, as did his Democratic opponent that year, Darren Parry. Then, the district didn’t cover any portion of Salt Lake County and Moore lived further from the 1st District boundary.

In fact, given the talk about his residency during the 2020 campaign, Moore said at the time that he’d decide later on if he’d actually move into the district, after completion of the redistricting process that culminated last December. He said he’d have to factor the interests of his family, the new boundary lines and how best to represent the 1st District.

Now, though, it appears he’ll stay put. The campaign statement, at least, made no reference to Moore moving, focusing, instead, on his commitment to the 1st District.

“Serving the community that built him is Congressman Moore’s top priority, and he is committed to continuing his work on solutions to the crises impacting Utahns in the 1st District,” the campaign said.

In 2020, the 1st District covered Weber, Box Elder, Cache, Rich, Morgan, Daggett, Uintah, Duchesne and Summit counties and part of Davis County.

Per redistricting, the 1st District extends into eastern Salt Lake City, closer to Moore’s home. In its new configuration, the district covers Weber, Box Elder, Cache, Rich and Morgan counties and parts of Davis, Salt Lake and Summit counties.

All four of Utah’s U.S. House districts cover parts of Salt Lake County.

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