But a third of her own party deserts her when asked if she should step out of the race, letting another Republican take her place. Thirty-three percent of Republicans said she should get out of the race; 53 percent said stay in, Jones found.

Just as bad for Workman's re-election is the fact that 51 percent of political independents said she should get out of the race.

Jones' poll shows that 40 percent of county residents consider themselves Republicans, 27 percent said they are Democrats and 25 percent said they are independents.

Most likely the race's ultimate victor must pull a goodly percent of independent votes to win.

Utah has a strict candidate replacement law. In order to get your name off the ballot as a party nominee, the candidate must die or be certified by a medical doctor as unable to continue in the race.

In the mid-1980s, the late Democratic county commissioner David Watson was arrested for possession of a controlled substance in the middle of a re-election campaign, after he'd already been certified by the Democratic Party as its commission nominee. Watson got such a medical letter and left the race, ultimately resigning his seat before his term ended later that year.

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