Salt Lake's Democratic power grab - will it stay left, or move center?

[Sean Reynolds]

This was an article in today's Salt Lake Tribune talking about the mayoral race here in Salt Lake City. Right now we've got two Democrats battling it out for the November election. The incumbent, Rocky Anderson, is a far-left socialist Democrat. While his opponent, Frank Pignanelli, is a moderate Democrat. It's a pretty good look at the struggle between the far left and the moderate center. Right now Rocky is solidly winning - which I'm REALLY happy about. Anyway, this should also kill the notion that Salt Lake City is in fact a conservative town. The article talks about how we didn't vote for Bush in 2000, nor our Republican governor, or senators. And the last time we had a Republican mayor was in the 70s.

GOP strategy: Dump Rocky
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Oct/10122003/utah/101021.asp\

SNIP

By the time Molonai Hola took the stage for his goodbye-for-now speech, the disco ball had been retired and Kool and the Gang were back on the shelf.
Hola, the Salt Lake City mayoral candidate who surprised everyone with his better-than-expected finish in Tuesday's primary election, made no apologies -- for his taste in music or his party affiliation.
"I want everyone here to know, I'm proud to be a Republican," Hola yelled to supporters in the University Park hotel ballroom.
Hola's political party was more hesitant. From the start, some of its members saw the Salt Lake City mayoral race as a two-person, one-party contest, and told Hola as much. They lined up behind Democrat Frank Pignanelli, a self-described moderate, believing he has the best shot at beating the more liberal incumbent, Rocky Anderson. Some prominent Republicans even lobbied against Hola.

SNIP

The race is officially nonpartisan. But to suggest that party affiliation doesn't matter is like saying the Olympics are about sport.
Voters in Salt Lake City didn't help elect Republicans Gov. Mike Leavitt, Sen. Bob Bennett or even President Bush. And the last time they elected a Republican mayor, Hola was in the first grade.
From the sound of it, the GOP, which controls virtually every political arena in the state, has punted on taking back its capital city.
"It's not too likely that we'll ever have a Republican mayor of Salt Lake City," says Joe Cannon, chairman of the Utah Republican Party. "You'd be betting against that if you were a betting person."

SNIP

That list should be enough to dissuade those who believe Pignanelli is just pandering to Republicans, says Demke.
Anderson says Pignanelli is too cozy with the GOP. The mayor has criticized Pignanelli in the past for being part of a move to make the Democratic Party more moderate.
"Frank Pignanelli is becoming more and more a de facto Republican while no one doubts that I've always been a good, solid Democrat."
Counters Pignanelli: "I really resist this attempt to make this a partisan race. The only way you can get things done in the Legislature or any other government body is to work with moderates on both sides."
Yet the mayor has Republican support, too. There's Mitt Romney of 2002 Winter Olympic fame who starred in one of the mayor's TV spots. In a radio ad, former City Councilman Keith Christensen notes he is a Republican and supports Anderson. Stan Parrish, the former chairman of the Utah Republican Party, also endorses the mayor.

The rest of the article here:
http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Oct/10122003/utah/101021.asp
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[JasonBerry]

1. Thanks for This Post

I must say, I am stunned. I had no idea that Salt Lake City had a progressive mayor. I just went to his mayoral home page and his campaign re-election site and all I can say is - amazing! Thanks for bringing Rocky Anderson to the attention of some of us who, obviously, had Salt Lake all wrong.

[Sean Reynolds]

2. No problem!

Now let us hope we can continue to have a mayor fight for our cause. Pig scares me.....

[neebob]

3. I moved away from Salt Lake in '92

but I can tell whether the mayor is doing a good job by how much my mother hates him. She despises Rocky.

[Sean Reynolds]

4. haha!

Outside of SLC he is HATED! You should read the Salt Lake Tribune's public forum and you'll see what I mean. I think if given the chance most would skin him alive. I know I have his re-election bumpersticker on my car and worry about leaving the city limits.

What part of Utah does your mom live in?

[neebob]

5. She lives in Oakley

between Park City and Kamas. But my brother still lives in SLC, and my mother worked there until a few years ago. She's LDS. Apparently she and my brother have had some arguments about the church-owned plaza.

[Sean Reynolds]

6. Well LDS and Rocky don't mix!

:bounce: