But that could be the case as soon as Tuesday if his boss, Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman, is charged with two felonies for alleged misuse of taxpayer money.

County Council members - who will huddle Tuesday shortly after District Attorney David Yocom's scheduled 10 a.m. news conference on Workman's fate - already have stated they will tap Dayton to take over as acting mayor if Workman is charged.

Dayton, the 36-year-old deputy mayor, is a well-known figure in politics and carries aspirations for higher office. He is a lawyer with friends in high places.

"He's an enormous talent," says Democratic County Councilman Randy Horiuchi. "I like to think he's incredibly politically perceptive. He's very well wired. He's exceptionally intelligent. He is like a quarterback who can read a defense."

Politics runs in Dayton's blood. His mother, Nila, is the Weber County treasurer. While earning a bachelor's degree in political science at Weber State University, he was elected president of the Ogden campus' College Republicans and was vice chairman of the Utah Federation of College Republicans. He later earned a law degree from Brigham Young University.

In his 20s, Dayton ran a legislative campaign for political newcomer Pat Butler and later headed Sen. Bob Bennett's re-election campaign in Weber and Morgan counties. He served as aide to Bennett in Washington.

In 1997, he joined the county's payroll as projects specialist and quickly rose to staff counsel to the County Commission. When the new form of government replaced the commission, Workman named Dayton as her top lieutenant.

As deputy mayor, Dayton spent late nights and countless hours lobbying for the county on Utah's Capitol Hill.

"He's been pretty effective up at the Legislature," Senate President Al Mansell says. "He's been a decent administrator with the county for the mayor."

It no doubt helps that Dayton's wife, Kat Boden Dayton, is spokeswoman for the House Republican Caucus. Before taking that post, she served for two years as an aide to County Councilman Michael Jensen.

The Daytons have a 1-year-old boy, Zeke.

Dayton has been Workman's political arm for nearly four years, often lobbying council members for votes or conferencing with city leaders on county issues. He has represented the mayor at meetings, spoken for her and pushed her programs.

Dayton wins raves from former County Commissioner Brent Overson, who hired him to work at the county. "He's thorough, he's bright, he's articulate," Overson says.

And come Tuesday, he might be in charge of the state's second largest government.

tburr@sltrib.com