I recognize that many will question my decision from a political standpoint. My decision is not about politics, polls, opinions or even final vote counts. My decision is about my reputation and the good name of my family. My husband and best friend, Reed, stands firmly with me in this decision. We are not quitters. To back down now would go against everything I have ever stood for in my personal, professional and political life.

Another reason I cannot bring myself to walk away is the countless people who have called or seen me on the street and have asked me not to give up. That is the hardest thing about this. There are so many people who have been so loyal and supportive. I have been amazed by the number of people who have gone out of their way to give messages of encouragement. Even if the polls or the election show those people to be a relative few, their trust and support is worth more to me than any political outcome.

I have been reminded with Reed of our many years in the construction business. There was one job in particular up on Capitol Hill. There was certainly no drought back then, and one night - just after we had prepared a road bed for paving - a torrential rain came. We got a call around midnight. The pre-dawn hours found us up there with our crew, spreading plastic over the soil and doing all we could to stop a landslide. But finally the rain was too much; mud, water, rocks and debris let loose down the hillside. Two of our men went sliding with it, it was so powerful. All that mud and muck descended on 10 homes at the bottom of that hill, filling and flooding them with water and sludge. It was a disaster.

But the next morning the sun came up. We mobilized all the equipment and workers we could muster, and set to work cleaning up the mess. We worked until we had done all we could to make things right. I still view it as amazing that not a single one of those homeowners ever sued us. They knew we had done everything in our power to make them whole. We never quit, and we never gave up.

Well, that's kind of how I feel today. I feel as though a hillside of mud and muck has slid down on top of me. Like that day, I don't believe I deserve it, but now there's a mess to be cleaned up, and it's up to me to do it.

I realize that my priorities must be my family, then me, followed by my legal well-being, and that politics must now take a position down the list. We will continue our campaign as my legal fight - which will require much of my focus - allows. As the election draws closer, one of two things will happen: Either I will get my trial and be exonerated before Nov. 2, or more and more people will realize more and more clearly what the DA is doing and why. So many people have told me they still want the chance to vote for me and to vote against what is being done to me. I will give them that chance.

I realize that I may continue on the ballot without the backing of my party. That is fine, and I bear the GOP no ill will. I am a proud Republican and always will be. Unfortunately, some who are activists in the county party do not always reflect the views of the majority of voters.

I wish Ellis Ivory the best; I am certain he would be a fine county mayor.

I am proud to have served as Salt Lake County's first mayor. I believe in the system and in the new form of government. I am proud of our accomplishments. I'm not perfect, and my administration has not been perfect, but we have done good things that have made a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people. I would like to continue serving as mayor, and I believe my record in office merits my re-election. I will keep working and hoping for the best.

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