SALT LAKE CITY -- With less than 10 days to go until Election Day, the mayor's race is proving itself to be a nail-biter.
A new poll released Thursday afternoon by UtahPolicy.com showed Jackie Biskupski with a slight lead over Mayor Ralph Becker, but within the margin of error.
From the poll:
The poll also found self-identified Republicans favoring Becker, while independents and Democrats leaned Biskupski.
"Utah Policy's poll confirms what our internal data shows, the concerns of Salt Lake City residents are not being addressed and Salt Lake City voters are ready for new ideas, new energy, and a mayor who listens," Biskupksi said in a statement emailed by her campaign. "Even with the mayor outspending me by hundreds of thousands of dollars on TV ads, the voters of Salt Lake City are not persuaded that more of the same is what we need. Regardless of what the polling shows I will continue to work hard for every vote until the polls close on election day."
Meanwhile, Becker made a show of force for his re-election campaign by announcing the endorsements of five of the seven members of the Salt Lake City Council. Stan Penfold, James Rogers, Erin Mendenhall, Lisa Adams and Kyle LaMalfa stood side-by-side at a news conference Thursday to give their support for Becker. (Councilman Luke Garrott challenged Becker in the primary and Councilman Charlie Luke told FOX 13 he was endorsing no candidate while he faces his own re-election campaign.)
Mendenhall said the council works most closely with city residents, and she hoped their endorsement would let voters know how they felt about Becker's vision for the city.
"I think that we are a really close voice of the community. So hopefully, our majority of support for our mayor shows it’s going well," she said.
The mayor also had the endorsements of political leaders across the Wasatch Front including members of the Salt Lake County Council, and mayors from neighboring communities.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is flanked by current and former members of the city council, and political leaders from across the Wasatch Front who announced their endorsement of him on Oct. 22. (Photo by Ben Winslow)
"I’m smart enough to know my influence (in Salt Lake City) is probably very small. I actually think endorsements in general don’t sway many people," Provo Mayor John Curtis told FOX 13 after speaking at the news conference in support of Becker. "But at the same time, I can’t help but express support for my good friend, Ralph Becker."
The Biskupski campaign declined to comment on the Salt Lake City Council members' endorsements of Becker.
The Salt Lake County Clerk's Election Office estimated that only 15 percent of mail-in ballots had been returned as of Wednesday. Becker said he was out knocking on doors and rallying people to vote for him.
"I’m certainly not feeling confident. I’m feeling anxious," the mayor told FOX 13. "But really, from the time the primary season ended and it’s been a choice between two candidates, it feels the momentum has been coming my way."
