No 3rd term for Rocky

Surrounded by friends and supporters, Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson announced Friday that he will not seek a third term in the fall 2007 election.

"I have made this decision because I want to spend my remaining days working on grass-roots advocacy," Anderson said of his declaration to pursue human rights and environmental causes after he leaves office. "It rests upon all of us to lead, to recognize and to make a positive difference by pushing our elected officials."

Anderson did not specify what, if any, job he would seek. His term does not end until early 2008, when the next mayor will be sworn in, and Anderson gave no indication Friday that he would resign before then. Anderson's spokesman Patrick Thronson said the mayor had no comment; neither has commented to the Deseret Morning News for the past 37 days.

The mayor's announcement was met with groans and boos from a standing-room only audience, which earlier cheered portions of a presentation about global warming that Anderson gave in the City Library.

After his announcement was over, though, the crowd gave him a standing ovation of several minutes, and one audience member shouted, "Run for president!" Anderson accepted hugs and shook hands with several people.

His would-be successors are lining up already. Anderson has said previously that if he didn't seek a third term he would support Keith Christensen, a former city councilman. Christensen said Friday that he is holding a news conference Monday where he will announce whether he is running.

"Rocky and I are going to spend some time this weekend, and we'll see how persuasive he is," Christensen said. "The groups that we've been meeting with are rather extensive, and they all have some input, and we're going to finish talking with all of those people this weekend."

Five City Council members have either declared or expressed interest in running. Nancy Saxton has already announced her candidacy, and Dave Buhler, Eric Jergensen, Jill Remington Love and Carlton Christensen all are mulling it.

"I would not be surprised that he has other interests, and I wish him well in his future endeavors," Buhler said. "Politically, his decision does not have any impact on what I will do. My decision has always been independent of what he decides to do."

Goals and battles