SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon will seek the Democratic nomination for Utah governor, sources close to him told The Associated Press.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak ahead of the official announcement, planned for Monday.
The moderate Democrat is widely seen as his party’s best chance to unseat Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, who took office in August after Jon
Huntsman resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China. Herbert spokeswoman Angie Welling could not immediately be reached for comment.
A Democrat has not served as governor in Utah since Scott Matheson left office in 1985, but Democrats believe Herbert is vulnerable.
Huntsman’s record-setting approval ratings have not transferred over to Herbert, and the former real estate agent is still relatively unknown around the state.
“It’ll be a contest. Peter Corroon is a very credible candidate, there’s no question about that,†said Utah Republican Party Chairman Dave Hansen. “The perception is he’s done a pretty good job as mayor of Salt Lake County, but the simple fact is in this race you have a new governor who has got off to a great start.â€
Utah is a heavily Republican state, but Corroon has managed to maintain high approval ratings in the state’s largest county by gaining a reputation for being fiscally conservative. Outside of Salt Lake County, Corroon is best known for opposing a public financing plan to help build a stadium for Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake.
Corroon has been flirting with a run for the governor’s office since Huntsman resigned. He already has created a political action committee to assist with fundraising and word that he would be running for governor began leaking out nearly a week before his campaign had planned to publicly release it.
Corroon has said that if he runs for governor, he wouldn’t resign as mayor.
So far, no other Democrats or Republicans have said they’ll challenge Herbert in 2010, although several Republicans are considering doing so in 2012 if
Herbert remains in office.
Waiting to challenge Herbert in 2012 allows for the governor to build a legislative record that Republicans can run against while allowing more time to raise money before the state convention.
As an unopposed Democratic nominee, Corroon would have time to raise money before November and could sit back and watch as Herbert develops a legislative record in tough economic times.
Both parties will choose their nominees at conventions in May.
Updated 12:30 p.m.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon will seek the Democratic nomination for Utah governor, sources close to him told The Associated Press.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak ahead of the official announcement, planned for Tuesday.
The moderate Democrat is widely seen as his party's best chance to unseat Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, who took office in August after Jon Huntsman resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China. Herbert spokeswoman Angie Welling could not immediately be reached for comment.
A Democrat has not served as governor in Utah since Scott Matheson left office in 1985, but Democrats believe Herbert is vulnerable.
Huntsman's record-setting approval ratings have not transferred over to Herbert, and the former real estate agent is still relatively unknown around the state.
Corroon has been flirting with a run for the governor's office since Huntsman resigned. He already has created a political action committee to assist with fundraising.
Corroon has said that if he runs for governor, he wouldn't resign as mayor.
So far, no other Democrats or Republicans have said they'll challenge Herbert in 2010, although several Republicans are considering doing so in 2012 if Herbert remains in office.
Waiting to challenge Herbert in 2012 allows for the governor to build a legislative record that Republicans can run against while allowing more time to raise money before the state convention.
As an unopposed Democratic nominee, Corroon would have time to raise money before November and could sit back and watch as Herbert develops a legislative record in tough economic times.
Both parties will choose their nominees at conventions in May.
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