Workman's bowing out

Embattled Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman will get out of the mayor's race today, her top campaign aide says, using the legal escape hatch of a physician's note.

The doctor's note may allow the Salt Lake County Republican Party to replace her on the ballot with a new GOP candidate. It could also land the Republican Party, the state or Salt Lake County, or all three in court — adding another twist to the already bizarre county mayor's race this year.

A doctor's excuse meets the state law's requirement for replacing a candidate and allows local developer Ellis Ivory, who announced his write-in candidacy just a week ago, to officially become the GOP's mayoral candidate and get his name on the Nov. 2 ballot. That would greatly enhance Ivory's chances and harm the candidacies of other challengers for the county mayor's office.

On Oct. 5, the day of Ivory's announcement, the Salt Lake County GOP central committee removed its endorsement of Workman — on a paid leave of absence after being charged with two felonies for misuse of public funds — and endorsed Ivory, a longtime Republican.

Workman is accused of using county money for the South Valley Boys and Girls Clubs, where her daughter worked.

A Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll conducted last week by pollster Dan Jones & Associates found that Ivory already had 32 percent support compared to Democrat Peter Corroon's 34 percent support and independent Merrill Cook's 6 percent support.

Workman campaign consultant Dave Owen said Monday night that the "toll on the mayor and her family" brought her to this decision. Appropriate papers will be filed today with County Clerk Sherrie Swensen, Owen said.

"We want the mayor completely out of all of this" so she can concentrate on her criminal defense, Owen added. If her getting out with a doctor's note "opens the door" for a new GOP candidate to be listed on the ballot, "so be it — it has nothing to do with us."

Workman has hired local attorney David Jordan as her civil attorney should Corroon, Cook or anyone else try to sue Workman to stop her from removing her name from the ballot, Owen said.

Corroon and Cook have both threatened a lawsuit should Workman, following state law, seek a doctor's note that says she is unable to continue her campaign because of a physical or mental disability.

In a letter hand-delivered to Workman's house a month ago, Cook stated that leaving for medical reasons would be "absolutely fraudulent" and "a highly manipulative and cynical move that would likely spew more venom into an already poisonous atmosphere."