I Heart San Francisco

Eight months after admitting he had a drinking problem and an affair with a close aide's wife, Mayor Gavin Newsom stands poised to win his second term without breaking a sweat. In any other city, Newsom's personal problems could easily have ended his political career. But in San Francisco, they weren't enough even to attract a serious challenger. "The things that Newsom has done wrong haven't really affected the greater city," said political analyst David Latterman, noting that the mayor's approval ratings have consistently hovered around 70 percent. "The fact is, he is popular. He is not going to lose." The last time a San Francisco mayor was positioned for such an easy victory was 1983, when Dianne Feinstein ran without a serious opponent. She is now California's senior U.S. senator. SOURCE