Rocky Anderson says he'll never run for office again after falling short in Salt Lake City mayoral race
Rock the Vote
By Benjamin Wood @BjaminWood
Former Salt Lake City mayor Ross "Rocky" Anderson said Tuesday that he's never stopped "raising hell" when he sees things going wrong in his community, and doesn't intend to. But after falling short in his bid for a third, non-consecutive term in City Hall, Anderson said his future efforts are unlikely to include his name appearing on a ballot.
"I can't imagine ever running for elected office again," he said. "It's become a money game. That establishment basically has its way."
While results from last week's election—delayed by the mid-term resignation of Congressman Chris Stewart—are not yet finalized, early returns show Anderson trailing by 24 percentage points behind incumbent Mayor Erin Mendenhall. A third candidate, community activist Michael Valentine, earned 7% of the vote, according to the unofficial results.
Asked for comment on his loss, Anderson told City Weekly that local news outlets had been "complicit" through deficient reporting that failed to properly investigate the "lies" and "broken promises" of the Mendenhall administration.
"I’ve never liked sore losers, but I also think that it’s really important for people to understand what happened in this election," Anderson said. "You’ve got to have an informed citizenry to have an informed democracy."
Anderson pointed to examples where his press conferences around homelessness and low-income housing—the central focuses of his campaign—were ignored by local reporters, while Mendenhall's press conference with Gov. Spencer Cox on the same topic drew broad coverage. (Editor's note: City Weekly, skipped both press conferences, for what it's worth.)
He also criticized the framing of the election by Mendenhall and her supporters, who argued that Anderson's notoriously combative style would erode the partnerships built up between the generally left-of-center city and the Republican-dominated state. Anderson defended his record as former mayor, saying he was proud of challenging state leaders when it was warranted, and he suggested that Mendenhall's model of bridge-building "means nothing other than capitulation."
"One person's divisiveness is another person's principled leadership," Anderson said.
About The Author
Benjamin Wood
Lifelong Utahn Benjamin Wood has worn the mantle of City Weekly's news editor since 2021. He studied journalism at Utah State University and previously wrote for The Salt Lake Tribune, the Deseret News and Entertainment Weekly
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