Mayoral donors hedging their bets

Among well-known donors who gave to two candidates are broadcaster David Simmons (Buhler and Holbrook); Rep. Fred Hunsaker, R-Logan (Becker and Buhler); Rep. Roz McGee, D-Salt Lake (Becker and Saxton); International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 57 (Becker and Wilson); United Transportation Union (Becker and Wilson); Salt Lake County Council member Jim Bradley (Becker and Wilson); Johansen-Thackery developers (Christensen, Hughes); and the Utah Restaurant Association (Becker and Buhler).

The funding race

So how do the multiple-givers seem to handicap the mayoral "horse race," based on their giving?

Of the more than $109,000 that they have donated, Christensen has received 36 percent; Becker and Buhler each have received 22 percent; Wilson, 12 percent; Holbrook (withdrawn), 4 percent; Hughes, 2 percent; and Saxton (withdrawn), 1 percent.

Not receiving any money from the multiple givers were candidates Robert Comstock, Arnold Jones and John Renteria.

Of note, campaign Web sites often list key people who have endorsed a candidate. Such endorsement generally implies that those people have endorsed only that candidate, and not others. But many multiple givers appear on such lists.

Multiple-givers Barbara Berry and Lorille Miller even appear on Web endorsement lists for both Becker and Wilson.

Wilson's Web site lists a total of six multiple-givers: Berry, Miller, John and Joan Firmage (who also gave to Christensen); M. Walker Wallace (who also gave to Becker); and Susan Marquardt (who also gave to Saxton).

Becker's Web site lists five multiple-givers as having endorsed him: Berry, Miller, McGee (who also gave to Saxton), Gale Dick (who also gave to Wilson) and Polly Hart (who also gave to Holbrook and Wilson).

Christensen's Web site lists three multiple-givers as endorsers: Don and Sue Lewon (who also gave to Becker) and John Milliken (who also gave to Becker).

No one really likes asking for money — that's why most candidates have a special fund-raising committee that asks for cash on behalf of a candidate. But fund raising is a daily and critical part of campaigning.

Anderson, who is considered a good fund-raiser, said he's glad he won't be asking for any political campaign donations again.

"In my post-mayoral life I will be fund raising" for whatever non-profit entity he joins or starts, the mayor said. "But it will not be as distasteful as in the context of a political campaign."

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