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The District 3 election could have been a dogfight if Democrat Dan Snarr were taking on Republican incumbent David Wilde for his Salt Lake County Council seat, round two of a personal battle that originated in Murray, where Snarr prevailed for four terms as mayor.

But Wilde gave up his seat a year ago due to health issues and was replaced by Aimee Winder Newton, a Republican with lengthy west-side ties and a government background of her own, having worked for Taylorsville before joining the County Council.

And guess what? Snarr and Newton get along just fine. So their campaign for the midvalley district seat has been largely devoid of controversy or claims of dirty tricks, especially considering the importance of its outcome.

This contest has the greatest potential to alter the county's power structure, looking likely to be much closer than the other three council races on the ballot. If Snarr were to win and take away a GOP seat, the Republicans could lose their 5-4 council majority and hand Democrats control of both the county's executive — with Mayor Ben McAdams in charge — and legislative branches.

Newton, 40, is determined not to let that happen and believes her fill-in performance warrants a return to office for a full four-year term of her own.

"When I was selected in January [to replace Wilde], I went to every independently elected official and every department head to learn what they do and to show that I'm a collaborator," she said. Because of that experience, "being on the council, intimately involved in things going on in the county, I'm going to hit the ground running in January [when the term begins] and will not be going through a learning process."

He might be new to county government, but the 65-year-old Snarr believes his lengthy tenure in Murray politics has given him the experience edge.

"I've been through the school of hard knocks my entire life and have taken the road less traveled," said Snarr, known widely for his grandiose handlebar mustache. "I don't back down if I have the truth on my side. I will not back down, no matter how the political winds are blowing."

As an example, he cited his support for construction of a hotel along 5300 South, just east of State Street. Neighborhood opposition to the project grew intense, but Snarr said he was convinced the hotel was appropriately positioned to help build Murray's tax base and to provide for future city needs.

"I made some enemies," he acknowledged, "but you have to have guts to stand up and say, 'We'll make a long-term decision for the next generation.' "

To that end, Snarr said more than $2 billion worth of private investments were made in Murray during his mayoral stint, much of it revolving around Intermountain Healthcare's hospital. His mayoral duties also have educated him, he said, about most of the issues confronting county government, everything from regional growth to solid-waste disposal and clean water.

Newton said that promoting economic development is one of the pillars of her campaign as well.

"We have to make sure we're doing everything we can to remain competitive in attracting jobs for the people who live here," she said, including efforts to protect open space, improve air quality and encourage healthy lifestyles through access to trail systems and parks.

Newton also said she will be a stickler for keeping wasteful spending off the county books, citing her opposition to installing $300,000 worth of signs in the County Government Center. She also is pushing for mental health and substance-abuse services for released inmates to help keep them from being incarcerated again later for some new crime.

"It's in the taxpayers' best interest," she said, "to improve those programs so we're not continuing to fill those jail beds."

But as much as anything, Newton said, "I bring a fresh perspective to government. This is my first elected office. I am a mom [of four], a small-business owner and I bring a piece of diversity, being the only woman on the County Council. That's an asset, having a different perspective."

If Newton wins, along with Jenny Wilson in the countywide council race, there will be two women on the council.

Snarr argues that he, too, provides an alternative viewpoint.

"I'm different and a little strange," he freely acknowledged, describing himself as a man of the working people who always has been independent.

"This is the first time I've ever joined a party," Snarr said, adding that he picked the Democrats because they "were always nice to me" and he respected outgoing Rep. Jim Matheson for being his own man and being willing to buck his party if he believed he was right.

"We're in the same mold," Snarr said.

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