Follow the Money: The Real Story Behind Stephanie Hollist’s Campaign

The Numbers Don’t Lie

According to official campaign finance disclosures filed with the State of Utah:

  • $102,748 came from executives connected to Arnold Machinery — the company where Stephanie Hollist currently serves as Vice President and General Counsel.

  • Only $13,824 came from everyone else combined; individuals, small donors, and all other sources.

That means nearly 88% of her external donations came from executives at one company. When you look at the full picture of money raised from outside donors (excluding her own personal loans and contributions), the imbalance is even more striking.Source: Utah Campaign Finance Disclosures (UtahDisclosures.gov) — 2025 and 2026 reports filed by the Hollist campaign.

Why This Matters

Stephanie Hollist is not running as an outsider challenging the system. She is currently a high-level executive at Arnold Machinery. The same company’s top leaders have poured over $100,000 into her campaign.This raises legitimate questions:

  • Will she be able to independently represent the interests of families in Davis County and surrounding areas?

  • Or will her decisions be influenced by the corporate interests that have funded nearly all of her outside support?

Her Record at Weber State University

Before joining Arnold Machinery, Hollist served for 18 years as General Counsel at Weber State University. During her tenure, the university faced significant criticism over:

  • Free speech restrictions on campus

  • Implementation of DEI-related policies and mandates

  • Handling of controversial events and speakers

Critics argue that her legal guidance contributed to an environment where certain viewpoints were limited. Hollist has pushed back against these characterizations, but the concerns remain part of her public record.

Dark Money and Outside Influence

Opposition research has also uncovered that groups aligned with national progressive networks have been running postcard campaigns supporting Hollist or attacking Senator Adams. These efforts are funded by out-of-state dark money organizations — the same type of influence many Utah Republicans have long opposed.The Core Question for VotersWhen nearly nine times more money comes from executives at one company than from all other individual donors combined, it’s reasonable to ask:Who will Stephanie Hollist actually be working for if elected?

  • Utah families and taxpayers?

  • Or the special interests that have funded the vast majority of her campaign?

Primary Election Day: June 23, 2026

Voters still have time to review the facts for themselves.

Review the actual campaign finance reports here:
https://disclosures.utah.gov