Photo by pollyesther.

Earlier this month, we wondered whether the influx of candidates planning challenge Marion Barry would light a fire under the ward’s voter base. Riffing off that idea, the Washington Informer hit the streets to take the ward’s political temperature — and while there are some minor cracks in the Barry foundation, the Mayor-for-Life was very confident about his chances during the inevitable run for re-election.

Oh, and he’s very excited about the army of Barry acolytes he’s grooming to replace him after he’s gone:

Nevertheless, Barry, 75, has indicated that he will run for another term in 2012.
”Yes, I will run but I have not announced that yet,” he said to the Informer on Aug. 5.

Some critics of Barry in the ward cite his health and age as reasons for him to step down. Others say that he needs to groom a successor considering that he will close to 80 when his next term, should he be re-elected in 2012, ends in 2017.
Barry said that he is doing fine.

“To me, age is just a number,” he said. “My health is fine. My kidneys are operating well and my high blood pressure is under control.” 
In response to grooming a successor, Barry said that he is “grooming about a dozen people to take his place.”

So there’s a dozen people competing to become the next Marion Barry? Now that is a reality show I would watch.