HD 16 mostly covers northern Layton. Representative Lee is just finishing his first term and is up for reelection.
Update – Trevor became the party endorsed candidate by winning at the at the Davis County Convention 73% to 27%.
Trevor Lee – Qualified at Convention
Trevor Lee became a state representative two years ago, winning the GOP nomination at the Davis County Convention. He has run his own wealth management company for the last ten years by himself, helping clients with insurance, annuities, and keeping their tax liability low, although he is not a CPA. Trevor also manages contractors for exterior projects for Home Depot between Salt Lake City and Idaho.
When asked what he is currently reading or has recently read, Trevor listed –
San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities – Michael Shellenberger
Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization – Brad Wilcox
Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy – Kash Patel
The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America – Coleman Hughes
The Naked Communist – Cleon Skousen
Trevor considers himself a very traditional family guy. He was able to pass 4 bills his first year and 6 his second, while cosponsoring over 30 bills. One cleared up some gray areas around tenants being able to carry a firearm openly. Another said that schools have to advertise that half day kindergarten is available. The other two were about people on unemployment not ghosting an employer and needing to accept a job offer within three days or risk losing your benefits. Trevor said all of these bills came from constituents.
This year, Trevor passed a bill saying that you can’t be compelled to give your blockchain private key to the government, similar to a ruling regarding passwords. He also passed HB165, asking ICE to work with Utah and that the state is not a sanctuary state. He is exploring options if the feds still don’t communicate with the state. Trevor claimed that there is a list of 300 violent criminals that ICE has sent to Utah and it is coming from the top to not deport them. He once saw somebody get arrested and deported and was back within 5 days.He said that ICE doesn’t have the capacity to handle all of them and that 70% of the Utah force is at the border making sandwiches for people. Trevor also ran a bill to ban cell phones in school and another to cover background check costs for substitute teachers and coaches.
Trevor is a big supporter of former president Donald Trump and has traveled to Mar-A-Largo twice. He agreed with almost all of Trump’s policies but didn’t like all of the excess spending during the Covid pandemic. Trevor is not concerned with Trump’s many legal problems, and thinks they are all political. He said that the banks have been doing business with Trump for years and are only claiming now that the valuations are inflated.
Trevor thinks that we are better stewards of land than the federal government and that we manage our money much better as a state. He said that he worked well with colleagues and had the backing of leadership in the legislature. Relationships are how you get things done. Trevor has worked hard to be very accessible, even when he is really busy. He has worked tirelessly to be transparent.
Daniela Harding – Qualified through signatures
Daniela Harding is the former chair of the Davis County Republican Party and has wanted to run for the state house for over a decade. She was raised in Salt Lake City and went to the University of Utah, graduating in Psychology and German. Daniela then moved to Houston and worked in research and corporate fitness. She eventually returned to Utah, moving to Layton in 2009 and becoming a licensed real estate appraiser.
When asked what she is currently reading or has recently read, Daniela mentioned Life in the Fasting Lane by Dr Jason Fung and various books about intermittent fasting.
Daniela has served in several community positions, including being appointed to the planning commission from 2015-2019, the Davis County GOP Executive Committee from 2017-2019, and then as the Davis County GOP Chair from 2019-2023.
Daniela said that she knows the district inside and out and listed her top 3 priorities.
#1 Conservative fiscal policy
Daniela said that municipalities should have more control over their dollars and the state can give them tools to better accomplish that. She believes in more limited government and lower taxes.
#2 Private property rights
Daniela said that responsible development needs to be forward thinking. Housing affordability is a huge problem in Utah and we need a good variety of housing options available to citizens. Multifamily housing isn’t the only answer. Tiny homes and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) are becoming more popular and ordinances have passed in different cities, allowing them. She wants to look at creating areas that preserve open space but where more homes can be built.
Daniela said that since 2001 at least 6 homes were demolished or have fallen due to unstable land on Heather Ln and Sunset Ln. The developer should have installed french drains, at a minimum, but hired a geotechnical expert to say otherwise. The expert is nowhere to be found now. She said that this would be a challenge to codify but likes a challenge. She understands land development really well and has 15 years of experience.
#3 Education
Daniela is an advocate for good educational opportunities that support the community. She believes in parental choice, with accountability. She was part of the Central Davis Junior High Community Council for 3 years and got a much better understanding of what is going on. Daniela is a massive proponent of public education and understands that there are circumstances where a parent may choose a different type of education path for their child. She said that she disagrees with her opponent’s cell phone ban in schools, which didn’t make it out of committee. She thinks that should be the decision of local schools and school boards.
Daniela is also a staunch 2nd amendment supporter and is pro-life at all stages. She had a very personal experience with one of her pregnancies. The baby was diagnosed with a chromosomal abnormality called Turner’s Syndrome after some testing in the second trimester of pregnancy. At the time, the doctor was legally obligated to ask if she wanted an abortion which she would not consent to and she tried to carry the baby to term. The baby passed away in utero in the fifth month of pregnancy. This was a very hard and personal experience for her but only reaffirmed her pro-life position.
She loves to serve the community and it is one of her favorite things. Daniela considers herself a Reagan Republican to the core. She has knocked a lot of doors and gathered signatures. Almost all of them have been gathered by volunteers. She looks forward to passionately advocating for things that make a lasting positive impact on the community. Her campaign slogan is “Championing Family, Freedom, the Future”.