Photo by specimenlife

Good morning, Washington. Lots of news today, so let’s get straight to it.

Fenty Wins Republican Primary: It won’t be of much consolation now, but Mayor Adrian Fenty did win something on Tuesday — the Republican nomination for mayor. TBD reports that Fenty claimed 822 write-in votes, meaning that should he choose to, he could opt to run in November as the D.C. GOP’s mayoral candidate. (Fenty’s would legally have to decide to do so by today at 4:45 p.m.) He won’t though, having stated on Wednesday that he intends to back Gray come the general election.

Rhee’s Departure Watch Continues, Replacement Names Emerge: Even though presumptive Mayor-elect Vince Gray and D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee are scheduled to meet next Wednesday, it’s starting to look more and more like she’s on her way out. The Post reports that the Gray campaign yesterday said that it was “unfortunate” that Rhee called the results of Tuesday’s Democratic primary “devastating,” and names have even started appearing as possible successors. Three former D.C. officials (two of them who worked in Rhee’s position) have been tossed out there — Clifford Janey, Deborah Gist and Robert Bobb — alongside two of Rhee’s current deputies, Kaya Henderson and Richard Nyankori. (TBD has a few others in mind.) If you want to hear more probing questions on whether or not Rhee will stay, Gray will be on WTOP’s “The Politics Program with Mark Plotkin” at 10 a.m. and WAMU’s “The Kojo Nnamdi Show” at noon.

But How About Those Other Fenty Appointees?: The Washington Business Journal writes about the fate of two other popular Fenty appointees: Department of Transportation head Gabe Klein and Harriet Tregoning, the director of the Office of Planning. Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette had nothing but nice things to say about the two of them yesterday, urging Gray, who he called an “impressive guy,” to keep them on board. Tregoning didn’t comment as to her future, while Klein seemed open to staying should Gray opt to keep him.

Senators Not Happy With Lack of Flights From National: Members of Congress always have something local they’re not happy about, and this time it’s the number of long-distance flights leaving from Reagan National Airport. According to the Post’s Dr. Gridlock, a number of senators spent the better part of yesterday hammering away at Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for not increasing the number of long-haul flights out of the airport. The move, they argue, would increase competition for flights and lower prices. (And, it should be said, save us all the hassle of going to Dulles.) The authority, for its part, is resisting the move, saying that National doesn’t have the capacity to handle the extra crowds such a move would provoke, and it would likely steal passengers and business away from both Dulles and BWI.

Briefly Noted: Chain Bridge to be closed to traffic over the weekend … Post columnist demands that chocolate milk be returned to local schools … Armed man confronted on Capitol Hill this morning … Jon Stewart planning “Million Moderate March” on October 30 … Virginia beer and wine wholesalers oppose privatization plan.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2009, the White House Farmers Market opened and a Republican complained that the region’s socialist transit system wasn’t good enough for Tea Party protesters. In 2008, the D.C. Council and Mayor Adrian Fenty squabbled while a guy in a weird bear costume caused a bomb scare in Columbia Heights.