Cash often doesn't equal votes in Salt Lake race

The four leading candidates for Salt Lake City mayor have raised, together, just under $1.5 million so far — rushing as they are to the Sept. 11 primary.

Only two of the official nine-person field will advance to the November election to see who succeeds controversial Mayor Rocky Anderson, who is retiring after eight years in office.

It's always nice to have money.

But money doesn't always equal success.

Way back in 1985, Merrill Cook spent around $500,000 — most of it his own money — challenging then Mayor Palmer DePaulis. Cook's half-a-million dollars was many times more than any previous mayoral candidate had ever spent.

And Cook lost handily to DePaulis.

This election, former City Councilman Keith Christensen has far outraised the other leading candidates. Christensen, a politically independent east-side businessman, has raised $556,996 so far, new reports filed this week show, with just over a month to go before the primary.

Christensen has spent $294,437, more than other candidates, as well.

But that fund raising and spending have not yet yielded the results he seeks.

According to a recent Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll by Dan Jones & Associates, Christensen is tied with House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, each getting 13 percent support.

Becker, a Democrat who represents the Capitol Hill/Avenues section of the city, trails in the Big Four fund-raising race — raising $263,935 and spending $125,833.

Thus, Becker has raised less money than Christensen has spent — yet is tied with him in the polls.

Christensen has $262,559 in cash; Becker has $138,102; Salt Lake Councilwoman Jenny Wilson has $114,610 in cash; and current City Councilman Dave Buhler has $93,940.

Soon, we'll be hearing the candidates on the radio, even seeing some TV spots.

And all that cash can quickly be spent on the expensive electronic media.

The leading candidates have also spent money on interactive Web sites. Buhler's is especially interesting and funny, showing a humorous side to the only Republican among the leaders.

Each of the candidates has a strategy to get through the primary. The question now is whether each has enough money to adequately implement that strategy.

With Christensen officially changing his voting registration from Republican to independent, the nonpartisan mayor's race has among its leaders two Democrats, one Republican and one independent.