Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and her husband, Kyle LaMalfa, are seeking a divorce after more than a decade of marriage, according to the mayor’s office and public records.
Why it matters: The proceedings come as Mendenhall weighs whether to seek a third term in next year’s mayoral race.
- She told Axios last week that any decision would be guided by “the best interests of both Salt Lake City and my family.”
What they’re saying: “I can confirm the mayor is going through a divorce. She asks for privacy while navigating this difficult situation,” Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said in a statement to Axios.
- Attorneys for LaMalfadidn’t respond to Axios’ request for comment on Monday.
The big picture: Mendenhall’s decision on seeking another term could dramatically reshape the mayoral field. She’s widely viewed as the frontrunner if she enters the contest.
- Multiple potential contenders — including Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and former state Sen. Derek Kitchen — recently told Axios their decisions to run could hinge on whether Mendenhall seeks reelection.
Zoom in: While Utah divorce filings are generally private, a court docket shows a petition for divorce was filed May 13. LaMalfa was listed as the petitioner and Mendenhall as the respondent…