Let there be no doubt, Sim Gill wants a rematch with Lohra Miller.

He's banking big bucks in the effort to win his party's nomination over fellow Democrat Greg Skordas and the right to challenge Miller in November's election for her job as Salt Lake County District Attorney.

With his official campaign less than two weeks old, Gill's account stands at nearly $66,000, according to financial disclosures filed Monday. It's a hefty sum that the Salt Lake City prosecutor accumulated largely in January.

It's hard to say how that compares to his two competitors -- Gill's financial report includes an extra month of fundraising -- but the Democrat clearly has a solid start.

The Republican incumbent, Miller, led the campaign cash chase at the end of 2009 with more than $58,000 in contributions. She spent about $37,000 of that. While the D.A. continued to raise money in January, she couldn't say exactly how much

Gill had raised less than half as much as Miller by year's end -- $22,000 -- and spent close to $2,500.

Skordas, a defense attorney who announced his candidacy last month, plugged $8,000 into his campaign from his own law firm just before Christmas. He spent less than $300.

"It is going to be an interesting year," Miller said.

But while the district attorney's race could be hotly contested, another high-profile law-enforcement contest began unfolding last week when former congressional candidate and Cottonwood Heights police officer Beau Babka announced he will run for sheriff against Democrat Jim Winder.

The Republican challenger had raised more than $6,000 by year's end and spent $1,500. That compared to Winder, who pulled in nearly $28,000 in donations.

Babka faces a hard financial fight ahead with Winder's campaign ledger already topping $61,000.

jstettler@sltrib.com