Blake Moore | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Vice Chair of theHouse Republican Conference | |
| Assumed office November 8, 2023 | |
| Leader | Mike Johnson |
| Preceded by | Mike Johnson |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromUtah's1st district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Rob Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Blake David Moore (1980-06-22)June 22, 1980 (age 45) Ogden, Utah, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of Utah (BA) Northwestern University (MPA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Blake David Moore[1] (born June 22, 1980)[2] is an American politician and former diplomat from thestate ofUtah. He is theU.S. representative forUtah's 1st congressional district, serving since January 2021. Since November 8, 2023, he has been the vice chair of theHouse Republican Conference.
Moore was born and raised inOgden, Utah. He attendedOgden High School, graduating in 1998.[3][4] During high school, he was a quarterback for the football team.[5] In 1997, he won theWendy's High School Heisman.[6] He is anEagle Scout.[7]
After graduating from high school, Moore enrolled atUtah State University on a football scholarship.[8] His freshman year roommate was American-born AzerbaijaniNBA playerSpencer Nelson. During his freshman year, Moore's football scholarship was rescinded by a newly-installed football coach after he left to serve as amissionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints inSeoul,South Korea.[9]
After returning from his mission, Moore transferred to theUniversity of Utah, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in behavioral science and business. He earned a master's in public policy and administration fromNorthwestern University.[10][11]
Moore briefly served as aUnited States Foreign Service officer in theUnited States Department of State, and worked as a business consultant for the Cicero Group, a management consulting firm based inSalt Lake City.[12]
In February 2020, Moore declared his candidacy forUtah's 1st congressional district in the2020 elections.[12] In a field of 12 primary candidates, Moore advanced out of the Republican nominating convention in second place, together withWeber County Commissioner Kerry Gibson. Two other candidates,Davis County commissioner Bob Stevenson andKaysville mayor Katie Witt, also secured their spot in the primary by gathering signatures. During the party nominating process, Moore was criticized for not living within the congressional district.[13] At the time, he resided on the east bench of Salt Lake City, 15 miles outside the district. Congressional candidates are not required to live inside the district they represent, only in the same state. Moore then won the four-way June 30 Republican primary with just over 30% of the vote.[14]
In the general election, Moore defeated Democratic nominee Darren Parry with 69.5% of the vote to Parry's 30.4%.[15] He took office on January 3, 2021, marking the first time an incumbent had not run in 18 years and maintaining Republican control of the district since 1980.[16][17]
Moore faced two primary challengers, Tina Cannon and Andrew Badger. On May 15, State Senate PresidentStuart Adams endorsed Moore in an editorial in theDeseret News.[18]
Moore voted against thesecond impeachment of Donald Trump.[19]
On May 19, 2021, Moore voted for bipartisan legislation to establish theJanuary 6 commission meant to investigate theattack on the U.S. Capitol.[20] The bill to establish this commission was blocked in the Senate. House Republican LeaderKevin McCarthy had earlier advocated for congressional action to form such a commission on January 13, stating that "[he thought] a fact-finding commission ... would be prudent."[21] Moore voted against the Democratic-ledUnited States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.[22]
Moore was among the few House Republicans who voted to keepLiz Cheney as conference chair both times a vote was held.[23] In an interview with theDeseret News editorial board, Moore stated he felt no pressure to vote one way or another from Republican leadership, and said it was important for the Republican leadership team to hold "broad appeal."
In July 2021,Business Insider revealed that Moore had failed to disclose on time more than 70 stock and stock-option trades made between mid-January and mid-May 2021, in violation of theSTOCK Act.[24] The total value of the stocks in question is unknown, but was between $70,000 and $1.1 million. Moore acknowledged paying a "late filing fee" to theHouse Committee on Ethics in July 2021; the value of that fee generally starts at $200.[25] In September 2021, Business Insider reported that Moore failed to disclose an additional three stock-option trades made in August 2021 by a federally mandated deadline.[26]
In November 2021, Moore voted against theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.[27]
In the wake of the Taliban's conquering of Afghanistan, Moore introduced the Afghanistan Accountability Act to investigate what the Biden administration knew before deciding to leave Afghanistan.[28]
As of November 2021, Moore voted with Joe Biden's preferred positions 16% of the time, according toFiveThirtyEight's tracker.[29]
In 2021, Moore co-sponsored the Fairness for All Act, the Republican alternative to theEquality Act.[30] The bill would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, and protect the free exercise of religion.
On July 19, 2022, Moore was one of 47 Republican representatives to vote for theRespect for Marriage Act, which codifed the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.[31]
On November 8, 2023, Moore defeated six other candidates to become theGOP conference vice chair, the position that was vacated by the ascension ofMike Johnson to the role ofSpeaker of the House.[32][33]
In February 2024, Moore voted against theimpeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas as part of a procedural move in order to allow the vote to brought again under amotion to reconsider.[34] He would vote in favor of it the second time around.
Moore and his wife, Jane Boyer, have four sons.[42][43] Moore has said that despite being elected to one of the most powerful political bodies in the world, the title he most prizes is "Little League coach".[44]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromUtah's 1st congressional district 2021–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Vice Chair of theHouse Republican Conference 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 273rd | Succeeded by |
