Utah State House District 14: Kara Toone vs. John Taylor
Learn more about the candidates in the June 2026 Republican primary election for Utah’s House District 14 in Davis County.
About this position
The Utah House of Representatives consists of 75 members who draft, debate, and vote on state laws, budget allocations, and public policies. Each representative serves around 45,000 Utah residents in their district.
Like their counterparts in the Senate, House Representatives are part-time legislators who serve passing bills and budgets during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March. They also serve during each interim session and on various boards, committees and commissions. Legislators are influential in shaping regional infrastructure, public education investments, and state budget priorities.
House District 14 (“HD14”) encompasses parts of Clearfield and Syracuse in Davis County. HD 14 is an open seat following incumbent Representative Karianne Lisonbee’s decision to run for US Congress. Find your district.
Candidates
Kara Toone (R)
About: Born in Vernal, Utah, Ms. Toone has lived in Davis County for more than 40 years. Educated at Snow College and Weber State University, with a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Utah. Ms. Toone has been a state and county delegate for the Republican party, chaired county conventions, and has also served as a community leader, including Davis Chamber of Commerce, Layton Rotary, and school Community Council and PTA. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Davis Education Foundation.
Top priorities (from website): Housing affordability; growth and infrastructure; government transparency, fiscal responsibility, and local control; strong public schools and supporting families; and more.
Insights: Ms. Toone is focused on legislative restraint and has pledged not to sponsor any new bills during her first legislative session to reduce compliance burdens for citizens. She aligns as a traditional conservative while avoiding populist rhetoric or nationalized election grievances.
We find that Ms. Toone’s service in community and educational leadership demonstrates a commitment to public education with a particular focus on vulnerable students and families—which is important in a state with as many young students as Utah has. She calls for greater government transparency and strict regulation of artificial intelligence and data center expansion, and supports an independent commission to determine political boundaries (which we value).
John Taylor (R)
About: Lived in Davis County for 25 years. Army Intelligence Officer and a corporate business leader in the pharmaceutical industry. For two decades, he has been politically active as a precinct chair, county delegate, and state delegate.
Top priorities (from website): Protecting constitutional principles, faith, family values, individual freedoms; housing affordability; safety, fairness, and morality in schools, parental choice and parent-approved curriculum; and more.
Insights: Mr. Taylor enters the primary race having won a large portion of the vote at the Davis County Republican Convention. He was recruited to run for the seat by party leaders, including outgoing incumbent Representative Karianne Lisonbee (vacating to challenge Blake Moore in 2nd Congressional District race).
He notes that his military background has prepared him to recognize threats—a high-vigilance perspective is evident in his campaign materials and public statements, and he uses protective rhetoric regarding faith, family, freedom, education, and culture that mirrors the messaging of the far right. He also calls for strict government accountability and transparency, and strict regulation of artificial intelligence and data center expansion. He supports what he calls the right of the political majority in the state legislature to determine political boundaries.
Our recommendation
We strongly recommend that voters in HD 14 support Kara Toone in the Republican primary. We recommend Ms. Toone due to her years of experience working to strengthen her community, longstanding commitment to public education, and her pragmatic, respectful, and balanced approach to public policy.
We feel that Ms. Toone is better prepared to represent her entire constituency and appeal to more voters in the fall general election. We also note with some worry her opponent’s endorsements from ultraconservative Utah leaders.
What’s Next?
The winner of the Republican Primary will advance to the general election to face Democratic nominee Brandon Young.