Mayor's decline gives hope to other wannabes

A few months ago, the smart money was that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would be the likely Democratic candidate for governor in 2010 and probably would become the first Latino governor in more than a century. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee.

That, however, was before he admitted to having an affair with a local television anchorwoman -- an admission that may lead to a very messy divorce case.

Infidelity per se may no longer be a barrier to higher office, but the situation has generated some sharp criticism of Villaraigosa's judgment -- enough that his gubernatorial ascension is no longer the semi-sure thing it had appeared to be. A figurative question mark has replaced the exclamation point behind his name.