"We wouldn't be so much raising money and giving it to him" — city ordinances place limits on campaign contributions. "We would just be calling our traditional sources (of funds) and asking them to donate to Ralph," said Taylor.

Republicans are by far the majority across Utah. But not in Salt Lake City, where Jones finds in polling that residents are about 34 percent Democrat, 30 percent Republican and 30 percent independent, with the rest calling some minority party home or refusing to say.

But even those 30 percent Republicans are less conservative than in areas outside of the capital city, and most city independents vote for Democrats.

"We take nothing for granted," Taylor said. "But Ralph, with 40 percent of the vote in the primary, looks very good right now.

"And a look at Buhler's voting record when he was a state Republican senator (for four years) will show it is very different than Ralph's" voting record in the Legislature, said Taylor, who added his party may well help research those records. "And my guess is most Salt Lakers won't be happy with (Buhler's legislative) voting record."

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