Suddenly, a race in the distance draws nearer

London Breed, president of the Board of Supervisors, is the first African American woman to become mayor of San Francisco. But in January her fellow supervisors will have an option to vote on an interim mayor to serve until a special election in June.

All manner of scheming and horse-trading is already under way, and Ed Lee himself was a product of just such a process when he landed in the mayor’s job in 2011. It’s entirely possible the supervisors might try to use an interim appointment to lift — or sink — a candidacy.

Breed stepped into the job of acting mayor Tuesday with the right themes of humility and conciliation. “I ask for your patience, and I ask for your support, and I ask for your prayers,” she said at City Hall, surrounded by other elected officials. Her growth as a politician in the harsh spotlight of San Francisco politics has been profound since her 2012 campaign for supervisor.

There is no mistaking the backdrop of the 2019 mayoral campaign in all this. At the moment, termedout former state Sen. Mark Leno is the only announced candidate, but Breed is among the possible contenders looking at the race.

Now the special election in June has accelerated the calendar for candidates to opt in or out. The winner of that election will have a considerable advantage going into 2019. And Mayor London Breed’s ascension instantly elevates her profile, which will be a blessing and a curse as she takes on the responsibilities of the city’s highest office.