Sources tell UtahPolicy.com that Republican Salt Lake County Mayor Mark Crockett’s campaign is threatening reprisals against the Republican mayors who endorsed his Democratic opponent Ben McAdams.

Several Republicans who asked to remain anonymous because they feared reprisal from Crockett’s campaign and party officials say Crockett plans to form a political action committee  to fund opponents of those mayors in next year’s municipal elections. Others have been told they may be censured by the party for throwing their support behind a Democrat.

One mayor who endorsed McAdams says party has nothing to do with her support. West Jordan’s Melissa Johnson says, before the campaign started, McAdams was the only one of the candidates who sat down with her to find out the needs of her city and how the county could help address those needs.

“This isn’t Democrats vs. Republicans. Ben wanted to know the needs of my community and how the county could address those needs. Mark never talked to me. Ben has supported things that helped our community while Mark supported things that hurt our community.”

Johnson, who is not running for another term, would not comment on whether she had been the target of retaliation for her support of McAdams.

Crockett campaign manager Randy O’Hara dismissed the talk of reprisals against Republicans supporting McAdams as nothing more than “October electioneering.”

“Anyone who says our campaign is threatening these mayors is lying. I don’t know where they’re getting this stuff, because it’s awfully creative.”