Demo drops out of Salt Lake County race

Salt Lake County Democrats are uniting in an effort to take the majority vote on the County Council away from the Republicans.

On Tuesday, Democrat Jonathan Jemming dropped out of the District 4 race and threw his weight behind Democrat Jani Iwamoto in an effort to defeat incumbent Republican Mark Crockett.

"This race requires unity among Democrats, and the 4th District seat is a perfect fit for Jani," Jemming said in a statement. "I have met Jani, learned her background, and she will bring civility, integrity and openness back to the 4th District."

The Republicans currently have a 5-4 majority on the council, and the Democrats are gunning hard to unseat Crockett.

Iwamoto is 48-year-old mother of two born and raised in Salt Lake County.

She said she is less concerned about a Democratic council majority and would rather focus on winning her seat and voting on the issues.

"I'm running because of my beliefs that I want to do something good," Iwamoto said.

Iwamoto is a founding member of the Japanese Community Preservation Committee Inc., a voluntary committee dedicated to the restoration of historic "Japantown." She also spearheaded several school safety measures and is trying to get rid of asbestos in old schools in the Granite School District.

Iwamoto keeps busy as a community activist and serves on several boards, including the board of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. If elected, Iwamoto said she will support Mayor Peter Corroon's initiatives, especially his environmental agenda.

"I've learned the balance of the environment with the need of basic provisions as well," Iwamoto said.

She lives in Holladay with her husband, Steve Fukumitsu, and two children, Nathan and Katie.

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