Mike Winder is entering the race for Salt Lake County mayor despite strong objections from the county Republican Party’s leader.
The West Valley City mayor, widely criticized after admitting he used an alias to write complimentary news stories about his municipality, confirmed Wednesday he is going ahead with plans to seek the GOP nomination in April.
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Leaving the city?
West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder’s formal announcement of his candidacy for Salt Lake County mayor will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Frida Bistro, 545 W. 700 South, Salt Lake City. |
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"It would be easier for me and my family to sit this race out," he said in a "WinderforMayor2012" posting on YouTube.
But, as he later told The Salt Lake Tribune, concerns about the attacks he would face for those articles were overcome by a sense that only he had the government and business experience to lead the county through a crucial period in its financial history.
"There will be those who continue to bring that up and those who will forgive the use of a pen name," Winder said of articles he wrote for the Deseret News and other publications under the pseudonym Richard Burwash.
With those who forgive, he added, "we will move forward together to a better Salt Lake County."
Count Julie Dole, chairwoman of Salt Lake County’s Republican Party, among those who believe Winder should sit this race out.
"It’s unfortunate he’s chosen to be a candidate with the pending litigation," she said Wednesday, referring to former UTOPIA official Chris Hogan’s notice that he intends to sue Winder, West Valley City and the high-speed Internet system developer for a Burwash story published by Deseret Digital Media.
"Several party members have expressed legitimate concerns because of publicity about his misconduct overshadowing the important issues surrounding the Salt Lake County mayor’s election," Dole added.
"He’s put the party in a similar posture as Nancy Workman did when she refused to step aside," she said. In 2004, then-County Mayor Workman reluctantly gave up her office and her bid for a second term after being charged with misusing public funds (she later was cleared).
Winder responded that Dole is supporting other Republican candidates for the mayoral post being vacated at year’s end by Democrat Peter Corroon.
"I would hope party leaders would stick with party rules to stay neutral in contested contests until a nominee is chosen," Winder said, "and then to support the nominee."
Winder is the fourth Republican to enter the race, joining County Councilman Richard Snelgrove, former County Councilman Mark Crockett and County Recorder Gary Ott. Two Democrats also have stepped up to follow Corroon — state Sens. Ross Romero and Ben McAdams, both of Salt Lake City.
In his YouTube video channel, Winder received endorsements from two mayors — Taylorsville’s Russ Wall and West Jordan’s Melissa Johnson — as well as a pair of legislators, Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, and Rep. Derek Brown, R-Cottonwood Heights.
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