From Deseret News archives:

Salt Lake hopefuls are swaying 'undecideds'

Published: Sunday, July 22, 2007 12:05 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Depending on how you look at it, the latest poll in Salt Lake City's mayoral race has three winners: Jenny Wilson, Rocky Anderson and "I don't know."

The Dan Jones & Associates survey of 400 Salt Lake City residents, conducted July 17-19 for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV, shows Wilson, a current Salt Lake County Council member, leading the pack of candidates with 23 percent support.

But the poll shows that slightly more — 24 percent — would "definitely" vote for Anderson, the current mayor, were he to run for re-election, which he has said he will not do. And even with that support, an Anderson candidacy would have to contend with the 48 percent of voters who say they definitely would not vote for him. The survey had a margin of error of 5 percent.

The biggest plurality is of undecideds: 26 percent of respondents are still unsure about whom they plan to support in the Sept. 11 primary.

"With four major candidates at this stage, we are mostly concerned about our own operations and executing our own plan," Wilson said. "Numbers are always a snapshot in time, and this encourages me that we're on track."

Story continues below
The results show little change in the horse race since Jones' last poll, an early April survey that showed Wilson in first place with 20 percent. The biggest changes have come as candidates have claimed their share of undecideds, who made up 44 percent of the last poll. All the top-tier candidates have gained supporters since the last poll.

Jones predicts intense pavement-pounding as candidates work to sway the remaining undecided voters to their camps. "In August, I look forward to some real hard work," he said.

Second place in the new poll goes to City Councilman Dave Buhler, who has climbed to 19 percent support, compared with 12 percent in April. House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, has moved from 9 percent to 13 percent to tie for third place with former City Councilman Keith Christensen.

"We've been working hard," Buhler said. "I'm optimistic that as our message gets out more, I'll continue to move."

Christensen is the biggest gainer since the last poll, when he pulled only 4 percent support.

"Sept. 11 is the ultimate poll, and I'm confident that as more voters get to know what I offer in leadership and vision for the city, we'll continue to surge," he said.

His gains come after he recently announced he was registering as an independent after years of being a Republican, a move that some saw as politically risky for its potential to be viewed as a midstream image adjustment.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
Deseret Morning News graphic

previousnext

Latest comments

That game was amazing! I think this will really help the sport grow in Utah....

Real Champions

Congrats on a great win. Utah as a whole should be proud not just of a major...

Congrats Real Salt Lake! but, they aren't the first major sports team to...

RSL regroups, dominates 2nd half

I told ALL of you how much i liked NED Pure irony his contributions vs x...

RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks

this is to NevadaUTE @ 10:25!!! I love soccer, I love Real and it brought a...

Real Champions

wow!!! amazing. UTAH JAZZ DO SOMETHING!!!

Glenn Beck to enter politics?

So much fear and anger from Beck lovers. You all lost the last election, we...

RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks

This is the most emotion I have had watching a sporting event since my...

Nicky Rimando is my hero! I love that guy. He has had his detractors, but...

Real Champions

Two stars means nothing! We played as a team and it showed! I'm still in...

Advertisements