Politics reporter Howard Fine in the Business Journal adds to what has been a less-than-fun week for Antonio Villaraigosa's campaign, writing in the new issue:

What is it about Antonio Villaraigosa that leaves him stumbling just as he nears the finish line?

Up until last week, Hahn campaign advisors were so gloomy about the runoff election that they were suggesting privately that the incumbent mayor’s only hope was a low voter turnout. Conservatives, who tend to vote in higher proportions than the general electorate, are a major target for the mayor.

"The trick is for Hahn to keep the more liberal voters, the ones more likely to support Antonio, at home," said one adviser.

But then came the revelation that Villaraigosa had received $31,000 in campaign contributions from individuals in Florida with ties to an airport concession company. And before that came lackluster debate performances that had the city councilman answering questions vaguely or avoiding them altogether.

As of late last week, it was unclear whether any of this would seriously eat into what’s been a double-digit lead over the mayor. But it’s bound to raise questions about Villaraigosa’s ability to "seal the deal."

In his separate column, Fine analyzes the political context of City Controller Laura Chick's highly critical audit of the city Information Technology Agency. She appears in cable TV spots for Villaraigosa, and the timing of the audit has angered Hahn's side. Undaunted, Chick says there may be more from her office before May 17: "I’m not going to stop my audits because there is an election."

For the junkies, a reminder that L.A. Observed's posts on the race are gathered in the special L.A. politics archive, always found under the Posts by Topic label at the top left. Some twists noted this week include Villaraigosa's first TV spot on education, John Kerry's visit, Alex Padilla's endorsement (first reported here), Maxine Waters' attack on Hahn, and of course the developing story of the Florida money that everybody in local politics is talking about.