But with roughly two weeks left in the legislative session, new Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker appears mired in the same mud that challenged his predecessor, Rocky Anderson.

Despite his mild manners, Becker and his liberalism nonetheless cast a Rocky-esque lightning rod onto conservative Capitol Hill.

Becker's domestic-partnership registry has stirred a storm - GOP Sen. Chris Buttars' alleged homophobia and racism provide the thunder - that threatens to cloud other priorities. There also is an undrafted bill in the House that could overturn the city's newly minted green measure that protects stream banks from damaging development. And the mayor is ensnared in an open-records debate - he supports a compromise that honors due process and disclosure - over a second Buttars bill that would seal police misconduct files.

The city was supposed to fare better with a kinder, gentler mayor - especially one who spent a decade at the Capitol, finessing both ends of the political aisle.

But either through naiveté, a freshman learning curve, or both, Becker faces a tough test before the gavel falls March 5. Even so, some observers praise the mayor's style, doubting that menace trumps milquetoast.

"It would appear that the backgrounds of the new mayor and his new aides will work so that Salt Lake City comes out fairly well," offered Tim Chambless, a political-science professor at the University of Utah. "But the jury is still out."

Becker, who concedes this is "a learning year," says dialogue with leadership and the governor's team has been "cordial and constructive." That fails to mask his frustration over moves to kill the capital's stream rule as well as the partnership registry.

"The Legislature is really showing a disrespect for local governments' ability," Beck- er said. "To think that they can dictate a statewide approach is, in my opinion, misguided."

Critics wonder why Becker did not wait until after the session - despite his campaign pledge - to launch his registry. As the former House minority leader, the mayor certainly knew his mechanism to help gay couples and others get benefits would raise GOP hackles.

Becker explains he was less concerned with good politics than good policy. And, he says, he called Buttars before the session - and sent him a copy of the registry - but heard no objections.

"He didn't have any initial negative reaction," Becker said, "so it did surprise me to a certain extent that he introduced [SB267] without ever talking to me."

Privately, some GOP legislators want SB267 to go away, fearing anything connected to Buttars suddenly is toxic. So with the embattled senator wounded by his recent racist remarks, will Becker use his newfound leverage?

"We're just going to keep working hard to defeat the legislation," the mayor says - how else? - diplomatically. "It can't help but affect anything he's running. But I don't know how that's going to play out."

Chambless predicts the controversy could help defeat SB267 and save Becker's registry.

"The city has been calling for simple decency," Chambless said. "When contrasted with the remarks from the senator from West Jordan, [Becker's registry] appears to be a positive position and highly defensible."

Still, Becker faces two hurdles with the bill: in a re-election year like this, GOP lawmakers are loath to oppose morality message bills. And the conservative Eagle Forum has made Buttars' SB267 a priority.

Chambless suggests none of that should matter, given Buttars' "shameful" remarks - especially in a presidential election year when a black candidate, for the first time in U.S. history, is leading national polls to win the White House.

"If the national press picks this up and repeats it, Utah's going to be hurt," he said. "We want to have a reputation around the world that this is a place people should come."

djensen@sltrib.com