Loyal citizens of California may consider the state partially safe for now:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Antonio Villaraigosa, the mayor of Los Angelesand a popular Latino politician, said on Monday he would not run for governor of California next year...

Not that we care, but there is even a given reason:

"I can't leave this city in the middle of a crisis," Villaraigosa ...said in an interview with CNN.

Whatev.

Just: thanks, is all, Mayor. Thanks for clearing up that looming nightmare.

But note, I said "partially safe":

In the Democratic Party, contenders for governor include San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Former Governor Jerry Brown is expected to run, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is believed to be considering a campaign.

You know it's been a long couple of decades when Jerry Brown looks like the best of the bunch. Truth to tell, I always kinda liked Governor Moonbeam, the ol' goofball.

Nothing good can be gained from stroking Newsom's massive ego anymore than he's stroked it himself by dismissing state laws with more capriciousness and megalomania than Captains Queeg and Ahab rolled into one.

The jury's still out on a Feinstein run, though... hmm: where would she be more hamstrung and less powerful? In the Senate, or as Governor? I suppose the fact that she's even entertaining running answers that question up front, but I feel it's a good one to ask.