SALT LAKE CITY – Running for re-election to Congress in one of the most conservative districts in the state and the nation, U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-2nd Dist.) is facing serious opposition from within his own Republican Party in the form of Utah Rep. Karianne Lisonbee (R-Clearfield).
With an abundance of staunchly conservative credentials, Lisonbee is the most competitive rival to Moore in a field of crowded field of candidates that includes two GOP rivals, four Democrats, two Independent Americans and one Libertarian.
During her five terms in the Legislature representing District 14 in Davis County, Lisonbee says she has been working hard to keep Utah families and communities safe.
“Government doesn’t do a lot of things right,” she explains. “But it can be a force for good when meaningful laws are made with families in mind.
“That has always been my priority on Capitol Hill in Salt Lake and will also be my priority on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.”
A graduate of Brigham Young University, Lisonbee served on the Syracuse City Council before joining the Legislature in 2017.
Over the past 10 years, she has served on Utah House legislative committees overseeing Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; Education; Judiciary; Revenue and Taxation; Economic Development; and Government Operations.
During the most recent general session of the Legislature, Lisonbee successfully advocated for House Bill 20 (Correction Facility Capacity Amendments), H.B. 23 (Service Animal Amendments), H.B. 48 (Criminal and Juvenile Justice Changes), H.B. 50 (Child Protection Ombudsman Amendments), H.B. 370 (Sex Offender Oversight Amendments), H.B. (Child Welfare Changes) and House Concurrent Resolution 10 (Hormone Replacement Therapy).
Unlike Moore, Lisonbee is putting her faith in the delegates to the Republican State Convention to support her candidacy when they meet at Utah Valley University on Saturday, April 25.
With a troubled relationship with die-hard conservative GOP convention delegates in the past, Moore has already submitted more than the 7,000 voter signatures needed to put his name on the June 23 Republican primary ballot.
Having elected not to gather signatures, however, Lisonbee is depending on her conservative credentials to earn her at least 40 percent of the convention votes necessary to also win a spot on the primary ballot.
In the running as a Republican in District 2 is former U.S. Army combat engineer Colton Hatch, who has also elected not to gather signatures.
The eventual Republican candidate in District 2 will also face one of four Democratic candidates in the November election. Those candidates include Peter Crosby, a senior data analyst supporting higher education from Providence; Tyler Farnsworth, a mental health nurse practitioner from Salt Lake City; auto financier Ian Parrish; and U.S. Army veteran Jarom Gillins.
Candidates from other parties running in District 2 include Neil Hansen and Carlton E. Bowen representing the Independent American Party and Libertarian Daniel Cottam.