A scrap of good news for Wheeler

Portland mayor F. Ted Wheeler hasn't had much to celebrate lately. He's flailing around at the moment, trying to save his political career. The polls show him in a dogfight with challenger Sarah Iannarone. In 10 days, Ted may be debating whether to polish up his résumé or just take the trust fund and move somewhere warm.

But here's one tidbit of hope for him: Former city commissioner Steve Novick has endorsed Iannarone.

Portland voters had four years of Novick, who was initially portrayed as a genius who had sailed through Harvard Law School at age 9, or something like that. By halfway through his term on the City Council, he had worn out his welcome, forever preaching and hardly ever listening.

It's one thing to win an argument, because you're right, and another thing to win an election. Like Hillary Clinton, Novick never quite figured that out.

Anyway, if any of the many Novick haters are still on the fence about the mayoral race, his endorsement of the challenger may tip the balance for the incumbent.

Meanwhile, Novick's successor, Chloe Eudaly, is on the ropes politically, even more so than Wheeler. Eudaly has seriously misread the public. She could never admit that many, if not most, of the people who voted for her were really only interested in getting rid of Novick, at all costs. Eudaly thought they were actually embracing her agenda, which in its breathtaking arrogance has proven to be right up there with Novick's. Now she too is at the political graveyard gate, although unlike her predecessor she doesn't have the Harvard Law diploma to fall back on.

Sadly, the Eudaly story may repeat itself this year in the mayor's office. If Iannarone wins, she'll think the people who voted for her all embrace her far-left platform, when really, a lot of them are just sick of Wheeler. In four years, the reporters will be asking Wheeler for an endorsement of the next contestant in the gong show. And Iannarone will be shown the same door as Novick, Wheeler, and Eudaly.