The colorful, and often controversial, Schanze submitted his name Friday to run against Democratic Mayor Peter Corroon - even penning his popular nickname "Superdell" on the county's papers.

Corroon's reaction: "I look forward to another lively campaign."

Schanze, the former owner of Totally Awesome Computers, has captured Utah headlines so frequently that he has become a household name - once for brandishing a handgun when neighbors confronted him about speeding, another time for buzzing Interstate 15 in a paraglider and several times for his explosive tirades against reporters.

On Friday, Schanze became the first Republican to rival Corroon this year.

"People need a real person that believes in liberty and justice for all and is willing to fight for it," he wrote in an e-mailed statement. "People are getting sued, robbed, ripped off and [are] starting to fear the police and government more than the criminals.

" . . . This is America, it's time for some logic and intelligence and less arguing about what really is good and bad."

Schanze provided few details about his campaign priorities, only that he would "stand up for what is right" and fight to remedy injustices within the legal system.

But Schanze wasn't the only Republican who entered the race Friday.

Frequent mayoral candidate Joseph Irish - who opposed Corroon in 2004 and former Mayor Nancy Workman in 2000 - also added his name to the list.

He doesn't object to Corroon's handling of government, only to his background as a non-Utahn.

The mayor hails from a small town in Connecticut and later hopscotched the country to receive a bachelor's degree in Pittsburgh, a master's degree in New York and a law degree in San Francisco.

"I just don't feel good when I have [an outsider] running the show," Irish said. "It kind of offends my primordial sense of territoriality."

Irish pledged to upgrade the county's water system, eliminate the "dead weight" from its personnel ranks and put more resources into disaster planning.

Republicans could have a rigorous race ahead of them.

Once an electoral unknown, Corroon now is seen as a formidable contender after scoring political points for opposing a funding deal for Real Salt Lake's Sandy soccer stadium.

As for his newfound competition?

"I am running for office," he said, "not against anybody. I love what I do and would like to run for another term. It doesn't matter who the opponent is."

jstettler@sltrib.com