Ex-Salt Lake mayor picks favorite in heated race between current, former mayors

Former Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker determined that he didn't really need to endorse anyone ahead of the city's 2019 mayoral election because he felt confident in the candidates who would oversee Utah's capital city.

But as he studied this year's field, he said he felt compelled to speak out and pick a side.

Becker, who held the position from 2008 until 2016, said he's endorsing current Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall over his predecessor Rocky Anderson in November, citing a difference in philosophies that he said is vital for the city's future.

As a former state legislator, mayor and most recently the executive director of the Central Wasatch Commission, Becker said he's known both mayors, whom he referred to as top candidates this year, for a while and admired their "strong commitment to Salt Lake City."

However, he called Anderson's approach to the position "combative" toward groups Becker said Salt Lake City needs to partner with to solve its challenges and "advance Salt Lake City's agenda." That's something he said he doesn't see from Mendenhall.

"Mayor Mendenhall has a rare combination of an ability to engage with people and shows a dedication to Salt Lake City we hope that every mayor can display. Her temperament, her judgment, her ability to build relationships is without peer in all of my public life," he said, speaking at a small campaign event outside of the Salt Lake City-County Building Wednesday.

"We have great challenges in Salt Lake City. Everyone living here and following Salt Lake City knows that. Many of those challenges require an ability to work well with people and are regional in nature," he added. "I believe in Mayor Mendenhall and I believe that with her determination (and) with her skills, that she can help Salt Lake City achieve an even brighter future."

Anderson, who served as mayor from 2000 to 2008, jumped into the race late last year, calling out the city's leaders for how they've handled issues tied to homelessness, crime and spending in the city among other things. But Mendenhall, in thanking Becker for his endorsement, contends that those issues require help from other entities, such as the county and state.

"We're a blue dot in a red sea — and when we forget that, it's a disservice to the people that we serve," she said. "No matter how strongly we feel about our principles, our job as mayor is to make progress for our city."

Mendenhall, Anderson and community activist Michael Valentine are the three mayoral candidates on this year's ballot. With Wednesday's announcement, Becker joins other former city mayors Ted Wilson and Palmer DePaulis in endorsing the current administration as the election nears. All seven members of the Salt Lake City Council announced last month that they are also backing Mendenhall.

Meanwhile, the candidates vying for the next term have already started to square off in some public events, including a forum on homelessness earlier this month that became heated at times as the candidates discussed the issue and their platforms. They are all scheduled to participate in another forum next week about the city's west side in an event hosted by KRCL before a televised debate on Oct. 4.

This year's city election, featuring ranked-choice ballots, is Nov. 21. The council's second, fourth, sixth and seventh districts will also be decided in the upcoming election.