A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Wednesday, May 19, 1999

California Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D), is about as hot in political circles as Ricky Martin is in Los Angeles record stores. The son of a Mexican immigrant, Villaraigosa has risen from a troubled youth to become the second-most powerful official in state politics. Now, the unabashed liberal is considering a bid to become the first Latino mayor of "modern L.A."

"Androgynous wimp." – Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), on actor Leonardo DiCaprio (The Seattle Times, May 18)

• A Speaker Raising His Voice (Los Angeles Times, May 18)
• Ricky Martin Fever Strikes About Midnight (Los Angeles Times, May 12)

Meanwhile, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo begins his historic tour of California. He is scheduled today to address the state legislature, becoming the first president of Mexico to do so.
• Mix of Cheers, Protests Greet Mexican President Zedillo (San Francisco Chronicle, May 19)
• Zedillo Begins Historic Tour of State (Los Angeles Times, May 18)

Street Wins Philly Primary; Arizona Voters Reject Stadium
In Philadelphia, which hasn't had a Republican mayor in five decades, John Street won the bitterly contested Democratic primary Tuesday. He faces Sam Katz in November's general election.
• How Street It Is (Philadelphia Daily News, May 19)

Voters in Mesa, Ariz., defeated a plan to help finance a $1.8 billion complex that would have included a new stadium for the Arizona Cardinals football team. Public financing for stadiums has been a hot issue around the country, most recently in Seattle and Boston.
• Mesa voters say 'no' to Crossing (The Arizona Republic, May 19)

Molinari Says Pataki Aide Threatened Him
Former congressman Guy Molinari (R) said that an aide to New York Gov. George Pataki (R) called him Tuesday to threaten that he would "be cut off in any initiatives in the future." Another Pataki aide denied the threat but said that the governor's office had called Molinari to scold him for telling people that Pataki was about to endorse the GOP presidential candidacy of Texas Gov. George W. Bush.
• Governor's Aide Accused of Threat (Times Union, Albany, N.Y., May 19)

Rebel Florida Democrat May Make Independent Senate Bid
Florida's longtime state Rep. Willie Logan (D) is considering an independent bid for the seat held by retiring Sen. Connie Mack (R). Logan backed Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeb Bush last year after claiming that Democrats ousted him from his leadership post because he is black.
• Legislator May Run for Senate as Independent (The Miami Herald, May 19)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com