Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson is running for another term.
“I love Salt Lake County,” Wilson said in a two-minute video posted Monday on YouTube. “I’ve seen where we’ve come from, and I have a vision for the future that’s ahead.”
Wilson touted her work building new parks and trails; increasing the supply of affordable housing; investing in water conservation and air quality; and offering free recreation passes to kids.
“As we continue to grow, we’ll be met with exciting opportunities but also critical challenges,” she said. “We’ll work to build upon who we are while not sacrificing what we’ve got. The future is ours to build, and by continuing to work together, we’ll preserve what makes Salt Lake County special for generations to come.”
In a news release announcing her candidacy, Wilson said the county of 1.2 million residents has gone through a stretch of change and “transformational investment,” but there is still work to do, including preparing for the 2034 Winter Games.
Wilson, a Democrat, took over the county’s top elected office in 2019, when former Democratic Mayor Ben McAdams vacated the seat to serve in Congress. She was elected in 2020 to a full four-year term.
Before serving as mayor, Wilson held a seat on the County Council. In 2005, she became the first woman elected to that legislative body. She lost a bid for Salt Lake City mayor in 2007 and ran unsuccessfully against Mitt Romney for U.S. Senate in 2018.
She has been a vocal critic of a proposal to build a gondola through Little Cottonwood Canyon, calling instead for better busing to serve the congested canyon. Her campaign video alludes to her opposition to the controversial project, showing an image of an anti-gondola sign.
Wilson is a Salt Lake County native who graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City and attended the University of Utah. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Her father is former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson.
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