The Utah Legislature sent a message on Monday.

After begrudgingly following a judge’s orders to redraw Utah congressional maps, Republican lawmakers promised the state’s redistricting saga was far from over.

Members of the GOP majority doubled down on plans to appeal a lawsuit challenging their reforms to a 2018 ballot initiative all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Their response highlights an escalating conflict between the branches of Utah’s government: Who should have the final authority to translate voters’ preferences into law — legislators, or the courts?

“It is a fundamental disagreement as to how our republic form of government functions,” said state Sen. Brady Brammer in an interview with the Deseret News.

Democrats have accused their colleagues in the majority of ignoring

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