In what could be a comeback worthy of "Rocky," Jean Quan scrapped her way past Don Perata in the race for Oakland mayor, and has enough votes to win outright, according to preliminary ranked-choice voting results released Friday.

The city budget might be busted, public safety is a major concern, and the last four years weren't what many people had hoped, but Oaklanders are looking to the mayoral election with a surprising sense of hope and possibility.

Don Perata and his political allies in Sacramento may have found a legal loophole that will let the former state senator spend as much money as he wants on the Oakland mayoral election. Normally, Oakland mayoral candidates are prohibited by law from violating the city’s expenditure cap on elections, which currently is about $379,000. However, actions taken by a shadowy political group in Sacramento with close ties to Perata may allow him to spend far more than $379,000 without worry of breaking the law.

In 2003, Jean became only the 12th woman to serve on the Oakland Council in over 150 years and the first Asian American woman. Jean is the first Asian American woman elected to the Oakland City Council and School Board. She is running to be the first woman Mayor of Oakland, and the first Asian American woman mayor of a major U.S. city. We just had to speak with her! In 2003, Jean became only the 12th woman to serve on the Oakland Council in over 150 years and the first Asian American woman.