"If it came to that, I would just do the best I could," Dayton said in a telephone interview from New York City, where he was attending the Republican National Convention.

But while waiting to see if charges are filed, Republicans seem to have a different response than they did before a panel of prosecutors issued its report Wednesday.

Two months ago, several prominent Republicans served up a full-throated defense for Workman, a fellow party member, while bashing the Democratic district attorney.

Now, with potential felony charges hanging over the mayor and more facts coming out in the news media, the Republican tune is more muted.

"At this point, she has some serious thinking to do," says Steve Harmsen, the Republican chairman of the Salt Lake County Council, who was one of the elected leaders at the July news conference. He noted that the mayor needs to decide how to deal with her personal and professional situation.

"I wish her well, but I'm not backing her as a mayoral candidate until she makes those decisions. Until she [does that], I don't think anyone can say they realistically support her."

The Salt Lake County Republican Party still backs the mayor, according to chairwoman Tiani Coleman. But like others in the Grand Old Party, Coleman wants to know more about what happened and whether charges will be forthcoming.

"We're still looking at all the facts," Coleman said.

In their report, a panel of prosecutors alleged that Workman misused health department funds by creating an accounting position at a nonprofit where her daughter is the chief financial officer.

With a focus on the scandal, a lot of Republicans are talking about how Workman's situation could affect them in November.

"With it hanging out there, it makes it hard for everybody," says GOP consultant LaVarr Webb.

He says he has heard from several party members regarding what actions should be taken: Should the mayor resign? Should she get off the ballot? Should she stick it out?

"I don't know if people are telling her [any of] that yet," Webb says. "But there's no question that there's a lot of Republicans concerned about this."

A number of high-profile Republicans won't talk publicly about the impact of potential criminal charges, but privately they say they fear the repercussions could be wider than just the county mayor's race.

Some have even said that Republicans may shift their backing to Merrill Cook, a former Republican elected leader who is running as an independent for mayor, instead of supporting Democrat Peter Corroon.

Cook would certainly like to get Workman's supporters on board his campaign, and said he even plans to look at her financial disclosures to see if her donors will boost his effort.

Corroon, of course, would like the mayor's backers, as well.

State Senate Majority Leader Mike Waddoups suspects the scandal, even though he is not involved, could hurt his re-election efforts, along with those of fellow Republicans.

"This couldn't have come at a worse time," said the Taylorsville Republican who faces a tight race in his district.

Most councilmen were cautious Thursday when asked whether Workman should resign now and whether she should abandon her re-election campaign to spare the Republican Party fallout over the scandal.

Democrat Jim Bradley, however, seeing a plus for his party in November, was emphatic that the embattled Republican mayor should remain on the ballot.

"She has a four-year record and her name is on the ballot. She was nominated at her party's convention. So be it," Bradley said.

As to whether she should resign if charged, Bradley said he would leave that up to Workman. "If she has the psychological wherewithal to fight this through, then, go for it," he said.

Republican Councilman Cortlund Ashton, too, said the mayor should stick it out - if for a different reason. "She's innocent until proven guilty."

Nonetheless, Ashton recognized that under state law, Workman must be placed on paid leave if charged.

While state law demands that the County Council put Workman on administrative leave if she is charged, the statute and Salt Lake County rules don't agree on how the council should go about the task.

By naming Dayton, the council would solve that dilemma, because that choice would meet both the county charter and state law.

tburr@sltrib.com

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Tribune reporters Heather May and Kirsten Stewart contributed to this story.

Developments

* Charges still pending

District Attorney David Yocom said Thursday he is still reviewing materials and additional evidence provided by the panel of prosecutors that screened the Workman case. He has made no public decisions about charges and declined further comment.

* Changing the ballot

Workman has vowed to continue her re-election campaign. But if there is any effort to remove her from the ballot, it must come today - the deadline for the state to certify the ballots, according to Salt Lake County Elections Manager Julio Garcia. "I've got to know now," he said, noting that the ballots will be taken to a printer on Tuesday or Wednesday, and it will take several weeks to get them printed and assembled in the punch-card machines.