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Just as Salt Lake County Republicans start work to fill a vacancy created by the unexpected resignation last week of Councilman Jeff Allen, a likely challenger for another GOP seat is testing the waters for a 2010 run.

Democrat Diane Turner said Monday that she’s opening a campaign account to examine the possibility of running against incumbent Councilman David Wilde for his District 3 County Council seat in next year’s general election.

If the financial test yields positive results, Turner will reprise a 2006 campaign for the seat in which she outstripped Wilde in fundraising and came within 4 percentage points of ousting the three-term Murray native. Turner thinks a second go at Wilde could turn her way.

“We did come very close in 2006,” Turner said. “I really think if I decide to do it, I have a good chance of winning and getting some new leadership in District 3.”

Wilde, who has represented the residents of Murray, Taylorsville, West Valley City and parts of West Jordan since the inception of the council in 2000, said next year’s race will take place on a much different playing field than the 2006 campaign.

“Last time around, it was a bad year for Republicans locally and around the country,” Wilde said. “People were mad, mad about the war, mad at Bush. … In this upcoming election, I think the tables have turned somewhat.”

While Turner-Wilde 2, if it emerges, is still nearly a year away, the Salt Lake County Republican Party is tasked now with finding three nominees for a District 5 council seat that will be unoccupied as of Dec. 31. Allen announced his resignation last week, citing family issues, leaving the final year of his term up for grabs.

The Salt Lake County Council likely will issue a formal request for those nominees to county GOP leaders following Tuesday’s regular meeting. The party has 30 days after receiving the notice to submit the names of three candidates for the open seat. The remaining eight council members then vote for a replacement, who will serve out the remaining year of Allen’s term.

Council Chairman Joe Hatch said Monday that he hoped to schedule a vote on those nominees for Jan. 5.

e-mail: araymond@desnews.com