And Workman said in a statement Tuesday that her "intention" is to continue her campaign.

But - just in case she withdraws and has her name removed from the ballot - some in her party are brainstorming a list of Workman's possible replacements. They range from newcomers, such as Molonai Hola, who ran for Salt Lake City mayor, and Fred Lampropoulos, an unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate, to proven ballot victors such as County Sheriff Aaron Kennard, Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan, even outgoing Gov. Olene Walker.

As long as Workman stays in the race, "we're supporting her," Joe Cannon, state GOP chairman, said Tuesday. "I don't know what's going to happen one week from today. Nothing is absolute. If she decides to drop out tomorrow, we are going to support a candidate. I don't know who it is yet. We'll try to do everything we can to get a Republican in there."

State law complicates things. It says the GOP cannot replace Workman on the ballot with another Republican nominee unless a doctor says she is mentally or physically unable to serve. Cannon sees that as unlikely.

More likely, the party would back a write-in Republican.

Sorry, Merrill Cook.

Cannon said the unaffiliated candidate, who once represented the 2nd Congressional District as a Republican and is now trying to become the de facto GOP candidate, won't be supported by a majority of the party.

"He's not a Republican," Cannon said.

With Workman's woes, Democrat Peter Corroon suddenly finds himself leading the race, according to the most recent polls, although about a fifth of residents remain undecided.

GOP consultant LaVarr Webb said Workman's replacement - if there is one - must be well-respected with high name recognition. Even then, it would be a long shot, he said, because a write-in's name would not appear on the ballot.

"It would require just a big, big campaign effort with less than eight weeks to go now," Webb said. "If the Republican Party coalesced around a white knight at the last minute, that person would have a shot at it. It would take [Workman's] cooperation and she doesn't seem willing to cooperate at this point."

Those named on the short list are hesitant to accept the challenge, even in theory.

Walker's spokeswoman, Amanda Covington, said the governor - whose term ends this year - was flattered, but "right now, she's just focused on being the best governor she can be."

Lampropoulos couldn't be reached for comment. His employees at Merit Medical said he told them he is not interested in the job.

Kennard said the question is premature. Alan Dayton, Workman's deputy mayor who was sworn in Tuesday as acting mayor, said he was approached about running as a write-in and rejected the idea outright. "I have no interest in doing that."

Hola, who finished behind incumbent Rocky Anderson and Frank Pignanelli in last year's Salt Lake City mayor's race, said there are more qualified candidates than him to oversee Utah's most populous county.

That's what Tim Bridgewater said, too, at least when it comes to the ins and outs of county government. The two-time candidate for 2nd Congressional District and a member of the GOP's Salt Lake County Central Committee - which plans to huddle Saturday - suggested former County Councilman Winston Wilkinson. At last week's Republican National Convention, "we were all encouraging Winston to get into the race." Wilkinson could not be reached for comment.

Another one-time embattled politician, Enid Greene - now the GOP's state vice chairwoman - has also been mentioned.

Tribune reporters Thomas Burr and Derek P. Jensen contributed to this story.

hmay@sltrib.com