Really, Jowers, notes, Anderson's woes have been going on for a few months, going back to his controversial firing of longtime friend and communications director Deeda Seed. When Seed was fired, Anderson's longtime personal assistant Christy Cordwell, also a close friend, quit.

Seed and Anderson traded verbal barbs in the media, with Anderson calling Seed a bad employee and Seed saying the mayor was an abusive boss who often criticizes LDS Church members behind their backs.

It's too bad all this controversy stopped Anderson's momentum, Jowers said, since Anderson had really been making some good moves in recent weeks and months.

"I had the feeling that prior to these last couple of months he'd been having a real strong streak," Jowers said.

The mayor had been getting some good national press for his efforts to bring attention to global warming and other environmental issues, Jowers said.

But now the momentum seems to be gone, as Anderson has been forced to defend himself against his detractors.

"He's clearly in the heat of things now, and everybody seems to be focused on him," Wilson said.

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E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com