Dan Garner

Dan Garner: Idaho Republican Incumbent for House District 28B

Dan Garner is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 28B, which covers portions of Bannock, Power, and Franklin counties in southeastern Idaho. Garner lives in Clifton and was first elected in November 2022. He is currently serving his second term and is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary.

Background

Garner grew up in Clifton, a small town in Franklin County, where his family owned and operated a farm. He attended Brigham Young University in Provo and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in economics, according to his Ballotpedia profile. He returned to Clifton after college to purchase and operate his own farm and ranch, where he has worked for more than 38 years. He and his wife Sherri have four children.

Over the course of his farming career, Garner also owned and operated several small businesses including a septic tank installation company, a trucking company, and a small gravel pit, per his 2022 Ballotpedia candidate survey. He served on his local school board from 2013 to 2022 and on the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation State Board and insurance board for approximately eight years. He also served on the American Farm Bureau Organic and Direct Marketing Committees and received the FFA Honorary State Farmer Degree in 2012, per his Idaho Legislature biography.

Political Career

Garner was first elected to the Idaho House in November 2022, defeating R. Scott Workman in the Republican primary and winning the general election, per Ballotpedia. In the 2024 cycle, he defeated primary challenger Kirk Jackson with 55.5 percent of the vote, then defeated Democrat Jayson Meline in the general election. He currently serves on the Agricultural Affairs, Education, and Judiciary, Rules and Administration committees, per his Idaho Legislature biography.

Garner voted against overriding Governor Brad Little’s veto of House Bill 314 in April 2023, a bill that would have restricted library materials deemed harmful to minors. He was one of 14 House Republicans who sustained the veto, falling one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed for override. The Idaho Republican Party Central Committee subsequently passed a no-confidence resolution targeting those 14 members, as reported by Idaho Education News. During committee hearings on related legislation, Garner questioned why certain classic books such as To Kill a Mockingbird would be exempted from restrictions while modern books with similar graphic content would not, asking: “Are we going to say something has literary value after a certain cutoff date?”

On education funding, Garner has cited support for the Idaho Launch workforce grant program and the school facilities funding legislation HB 521 as priorities from his first term, as reported by the Idaho State Journal.

Policy Positions

Garner’s documented priorities center on education funding, fiscal responsibility, local governance, and property rights. He has identified managing Idaho’s rapid population growth and its strain on education, water, and infrastructure as the central challenge facing the state, per his campaign website.

On education, Garner has been consistent in citing education as his top priority. He told the Idaho State Journal that passing the Launch program and the school facility funding bills were his most significant first-term accomplishments, and that he wants to continue work on school infrastructure. He has proposed the idea of standard state building blueprints for school districts unable to pass bonds, arguing the approach could reduce architectural and engineering costs by 10 to 20 percent, as reported by East Idaho News.

On fiscal policy, Garner supports balanced budgets and efficient use of tax dollars, emphasizing that Idaho’s financial discipline has contributed to the state’s economic growth. He opposes federal and state government strings attached to funding for local school districts, calling for strong local community involvement in education.

On property rights and local governance, Garner argues that government decisions are best made at the local level and that federal and state governments should be limited to their constitutional provisions. He describes protecting private property rights as a core commitment, drawing on his decades as a farmer.

Political Alignment

Garner is a Traditional Conservative Republican whose profile reflects the agricultural and educational conservatism of southeastern Idaho’s rural communities. His eight-year tenure on a local school board, his Idaho Farm Bureau Federation service, his endorsement from the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police, and his top priorities of education funding and farm-oriented property rights are consistent with that classification. His 2023 vote to sustain Governor Little’s library bill veto, which triggered a no-confidence resolution from the Idaho Republican Party Central Committee, as reported by Idaho Education News, places him within the governing wing of the Idaho House rather than its activist right flank.

Campaign and Endorsements

Garner is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary for District 28B, per Ballotpedia. He faces Democrat Jayson Meline again in the November general election. His supporters include the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police. Campaign finance records are available through the Idaho Secretary of State’s Sunshine database. Ballotpedia had not identified specific endorsements for the 2026 race as of April 2026.

FAQ

Who is Dan Garner, Idaho? Dan Garner is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 28B in southeastern Idaho. A Clifton farmer and rancher with more than 38 years in agriculture, he was first elected in 2022 and is currently serving his second term.

What district does Dan Garner represent? Garner represents House District 28B, which covers portions of Bannock, Power, and Franklin counties in southeastern Idaho.

Is Dan Garner an incumbent? Yes. Garner was first elected in 2022 and is currently serving his second term. He is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026, primary.

What committees does Dan Garner serve on? Garner serves on the Agricultural Affairs, Education, and Judiciary, Rules and Administration committees, per his Idaho Legislature biography.

What has Dan Garner focused on in the Idaho Legislature? Garner has prioritized education funding, including the Idaho Launch workforce grant program and school facility funding legislation. He has also worked on property rights issues connected to Idaho’s rapid growth and its effects on agricultural communities.

2024 Primary Election Results Garner 3,890 / Jackson 3,115

2024 General Election Results Garner 18,188 / Meline 5,514

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated April 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.