| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
 |
| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
|
| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
|
| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
|
| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
|
| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
|
| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
Utahns love Mitt, Mike, even Rocky
By Dennis Romboy
Deseret News staff writer
Mitt Romney might yet win over Massachusetts — but he owns Utah.
That doesn't mean popular Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt has lost his deed to the Beehive State. Residents think highly of him, just not quite as highly as they do of the Bostonian who engineered the successful 2002 Winter Games.
Both drew lofty ratings in a new Deseret News/KSL-TV poll that also solicited opinions about Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson and former Utah Olympic bid leaders Tom Welch and Dave Johnson.
In the now-that-the-Olympics-are-over survey, Anderson fared well; Welch and Johnson not so well, though survey respondents view them in a more positive than negative light.
Romney led the way with a jaw-dropping 87 percent of Utahns having a very (68 percent) or somewhat (19 percent) favorable impression of him. Four percent gave him an unfavorable rating.
"I figure he can walk on water all the way back" to Massachusetts, pollster Dan Jones said.
Romney not only pulled the state through some trying Olympic times but was articulate and affable in doing so. Being telegenic and knowing the value of a good sound bite didn't hurt, either.
Dan Jones & Associates surveyed 600 residents statewide for the newspaper and TV station Feb. 25-27. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus 4 percent.
Leavitt, whose job performance has consistently rated high through 2 1/2 terms, also left a very good imprint in people's minds during the Games, which ended eight days ago.
The survey showed 80 percent of respondents gave him a favorable rating, nearly evenly split between very and somewhat favorable. His unfavorable rating was 14 percent.
Leavitt didn't do anything to hurt his image, and Welch calling him a liar on "60 Minutes" regarding what the governor knew about Utah's Olympic bid efforts didn't register more than a blip as the Games drew to a close.
It would be a stretch to say Anderson owns Salt Lake City based on the poll. But he didn't lose the key to the city during the Olympics.
Residents in the poll heaped some love on the fiery city leader whose relationship with constituents runs hot and cold. His favorable rating was 59 percent.
Still, 29 percent have an unfavorable view of Anderson, the highest of any of the five men in the survey. His prominent role in the Games, marked by a bent for turning Salt Lake City into a Mardi Gras town, apparently only took him so far.
The two men who did the most to bring the Olympics to Utah and were subsequently indicted on fraud and racketeering charges didn't rate high in the poll, though congratulations outpaced condemnations in letters to the editor in the Deseret News the past few weeks. A federal judge dismissed the case against Welch and Johnson, but prosecutors are appealing.
Welch, who drew applause from those seated around him at the opening ceremonies, received a 48 percent favorable rating. His unfavorable rating was 22 percent. Fifteen percent didn't recognize his name, and 13 percent of those who have heard of him had no opinion.
The survey showed 38 percent of Utahns have favorable impression of Johnson, while 13 percent have an unfavorable view. But more than one-third of respondents had no idea who he is.
E-MAIL: romboy@desnews.com
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March 4, 2002
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