Workman leading race

Being an incumbent and a Republican in Utah generally gives a politician a huge advantage right out of the gate. But in Salt Lake County — one of the most Democratic counties in the state — the advantage is smaller, and that fact is impacting the race for county mayor.

A poll conducted for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV by Dan Jones & Associates shows incumbent GOP Mayor Nancy Workman significantly ahead of her challengers in the election's early stages, but two Democrats and one well-known independent — Merrill Cook — are within striking distance.

"I believe this could be a very contentious election," Jones said. "The personalities will be a factor — Merrill entering the fray, he always brings up tough issues in debates and also has large name ID — but this is a very, very difficult county to get a strong majority from in either party."

Certainly pockets within the county tilt one way or the other politically — Salt Lake City tends to vote Democratic, for example, while the southwest suburbs are solidly Republican — but they tend to balance out in a countywide race, which the mayoral election is.

Workman leads all candidates at 35 percent, with Democrat Marilee Latta at 12 percent and Democrat Peter Corroon and Cook both at 11 percent. The poll, conducted March 17-20, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.

Cook said he was pleased by the numbers. "For a nonpartisan candidate to be in double digits at this stage is significant," he said.

Latta's showing surprised most candidates, including Latta. She has long been involved in civic affairs and is fairly well known, but Corroon has the backing of Democratic Party leaders.

"You are kidding!" Latta said when told the numbers. "I can't believe it. You have made my day. It shows I have as good a chance as anybody else."

As for Corroon, "We're just getting ramped up here, so it doesn't surprise me at this point. Once we get out there and get our message out, those numbers will improve."

Workman obviously has the jump on her opponents, with high name recognition and a large campaign war chest (well over $300,000), but it's a long way to November. Cook has indicated his willingness to once again spend his own money freely in the race, and the two Democrats are certain to raise at least a respectable amount of money and quite possibly much more.