Dave Parke
Dave Parke (Republican Party) ran for election to the Utah House of Representatives to represent District 30. He lost in the Republican primary on June 25, 2024.
Parke completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Dave Parke was born in Ogden, Utah. He earned a high school diploma from Weber High School, an associate degree from Weber State University in 1987, a bachelor's degree from Southern Utah University in 1990, and a graduate degree from the University of Phoenix in 1997. His career experience includes working as a healthcare executive. He has been affiliated with the Home Care & Hospice Association of Utah (HHAU).[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Utah House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Utah House of Representatives District 30
Jake Fitisemanu and Fred Cox are running in the general election for Utah House of Representatives District 30 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Jake Fitisemanu (D) | |
 | Fred Cox (R)  | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Jake Fitisemanu advanced from the Democratic primary for Utah House of Representatives District 30.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Utah House of Representatives District 30
Fred Cox defeated Dave Parke in the Republican primary for Utah House of Representatives District 30 on June 25, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Fred Cox | 51.9 | 1,569 |
 | Dave Parke | 48.1 | 1,453 | |
| Total votes: 3,022 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Cindy Thompson (R)
Democratic convention
Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 30
Jake Fitisemanu defeated Sophia Hawes-Tingey in the Democratic convention for Utah House of Representatives District 30 on March 30, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jake Fitisemanu (D) | 84.6 | 22 |
| Sophia Hawes-Tingey (D) | 15.4 | 4 | |
| Total votes: 26 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican convention
Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 30
Fred Cox defeated Dave Parke and Cindy Thompson in the Republican convention for Utah House of Representatives District 30 on April 13, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Fred Cox (R) | 56.4 | 22 |
| Dave Parke (R) | 28.2 | 11 | |
| Cindy Thompson (R) | 15.4 | 6 | |
| Total votes: 39 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Dave Parke completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Parke's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
With an MBA in Organizational Business Management, Dave Parke has spent 35 years working in executive leadership positions for several Fortune 500 companies. In 2010, a personal experience seeking care for a family member turned Dave to opening Home Instead, a senior in-home care franchise. Over the past 14 years, his business has created over 2,000 jobs and has provided essential in-home care for thousands more.
Despite his professional success, Dave’s heart has always been intently focused on Utah and its local politics. As a fiscal conservative with pragmatic mainstream social leanings, he understands that just as our world is changing, the need to preserve the values that have made our great state is as important as ever. He brings a unique perspective as a resident of over 30 years in West Valley City, the 2nd largest and most diverse city in Utah. He recognizes that the district's multicultural population has diverse needs and he has a unique desire to contribute to the community.
Born in Ogden to a large family of nine siblings, Dave has been a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Having served a mission in Concepcion, Chile during the reign of Pinochet, Dave experienced firsthand what a dictatorial government can do to a nation.
After attended Weber State University and completed two bachelor’s degrees I Business and Foreign Languages (Spanish). He later earned his MBA at the University of Phoenix.
- 1. Tax Reduction: Milton Friedman's wisdom guides my approach to taxes: "I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse." I will champion policies that reduce the burden of taxes, allowing individuals and businesses to keep more of their hard-earned money. Working with fellow law makers, Dave will introduce and support legislation aimed at lowering taxes, including removing the state tax on food or eliminating the state income tax.
- 2. Reduce Unneeded Government Regulations: Dave is committed to cutting through unnecessary red tape that hampers business and stifles economic growth. Regulations should focus on fostering business-friendly environment, promote innovation and empower entrepreneurs to thrive. Dave will collaborate with business leaders and experts to conduct a thorough review of existing regulations. Thorough legislative efforts, will identify and eliminate regulations that pose unnecessary obstacles to businesses, ensuring a regulatory environment that encourages growth while maintaining essential protections.
- 3. Affordable Housing for Local Families: The population growth in Utah is among the strongest in the nation. Every child in Utah deserves the opportunity to grow up in their hometown and raise their own family. Dave will champion policies that promote affordable housing, ensuring that our community remains a place where generations can thrive. Dave will advocate for policies that incentivize the development of affordable housing, such as tax credits for builders and streamlined regulations for housing projects. Additionally, he will work with community stakeholders to explore public-private partnerships that address the unique housing needs of West Valley City.
Education Reform and Access:
I believe in providing quality education for all children, regardless of their background or zip code. I will advocate for policies that support our schools, empower teachers, and expand access to educational resources, giving every child the chance to succeed.
My father. He worked and worked and worked. I've never known someone who worked harder than he did. Not only at his business, but he was a dignified church leader and for 12 years he was an elected member of the local school board. He was board president for several years.
Any elected official must demonstrate a selfless commitment to service and demonstrate moral integrity. At the same time an elected official must understand the role of community, state and national governments. All legislation must support the constructs of the Constitution of the United States, as well as state and local charters and that govern our communities.
While understanding that our nation is a republic, where elected officials are in place to make decisions for the public, an elected official must keep the needs and concerns of their constituents in mind as decisions are made.
Our nation was founded on contrasting opinions and differing view points. The discord in our nation today however, is alarming. Elected officials have the obligation to demonstrate the ability to disagree with those of differing opinions with integrity and respect. Elected officials must focus on issues, not personal attacks and character assassination.
Hard work, tenacious, how to work with people. Perhaps the best leadership trait I poses is and how to listen and understand people and opposing viewpoints, before acting.
Elected officials are responsible to represent their constituents’ needs above their own interests.
A legacy of integrity and a commitment to making my part of the world a better place by inspiring others.
When I was 16, our family business was threatened by a union strike, my aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters all joined together to keep the business open. We butchered cattle, cut stakes, ground hamburger and delivered product to stores, restaurants etc. I drove a delivery truck during the mornings, and each evening I ran ground beef patty machines. After 2 weeks, the strike ended and the union did not win. I learned hard work, pulling together at all costs.
As a young man, 10-11 yrs old, I worked full time on my family's feed lot for cattle. We owned over 4,000 cattle. In high school I worked a full time job after hours in the meat packing plant and weekends in the feedlot.
"Crucial Conversations"
Superman, are you kidding!. He helps people, fights injustice and he FLIES!
15 years ago I left a lucrative career in corporate finance to start my own business. We are not in our 14th year and we employ over 100 people. The fist several years were unbelievably hard. I didn't take a paycheck for the first year. In the 14 years, I have NEVER missed a pay day for my staff, but I have personally missed a lot of paychecks myself!
The governor needs to listen to the issues the legislature is addressing. He/she needs to listen and seek to understand vs. trying to push their own ideas and agendas.
Access to affordable housing
Access to high quality education
Tax reduction
Transportation projects
Past experience can be helpful, but a new perspective and background are important to drive change and minimize "business as usual" behaviors and thinking.
Eliminate tax on food
Education First Utah
Reagan Republicans of Utah
Office of the Governor of the state of Utah
Home Health & Hospice Association of Utah (HHAU)
Utah Association of Realtors
Utah Metal Works Inc.
KMH Consulting and Government Relations
Utah Bankers Association
Gold Cross Services Inc.
Paul Rogers and Associates
Utah Rural Telcom Association
Workers Compensation Fund (WCF) of Utah
Utah Retail Merchants Association (URMA)
Utah Food Industry Association
Tax Reduction
Education
Social Services Policy
I am committed to cutting through unnecessary red tape that hampers our businesses and stifles economic growth. Let's streamline regulations to foster a business-friendly environment, promoting innovation, and empowering entrepreneurs to thrive.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Utah House of Representatives District 30 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 15, 2024
