Many a wonk (and even your SFist editor, surprisingly!) have had an inkling that State Senator and former San Francisco Supervisor Mark Leno could throw his hat in the San Francisco mayoral ring. Or, at the very least, he's mulling it over right now. ''I'm looking at it at this point,'' Leno told SFGate. The Senator, it seems, received a "strong showing in a San Francisco Chamber of Commerce poll released last week," which could have prompted Leno's interest in returning to SF.

If Leno joins the race, he would go head to head with City Attorney Dennis Herrera, State Senator Leland Yee, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, Public Defender Jeff Adachi and Supervisor Bevan Dufty.

Dufty, another queer leader, is looking to become the city's first openly gay Mayor. "Mark and I have talked and I think that if Mark were to decide to run for mayor he would talk to me about it," he told KCBS. "Mark is my friend and I've supported him at all of his races." (Some insiders, however, gossip that if Leno joins the race, Dufty would consider bowing out of the race.)

Newsom will be termed out in 2012.