If Adrian Fenty rolls to an easy victory for a second mayoral term, he will have his No. 1 school system reformer to thank.

That would not be Michelle Rhee.

No disrespect meant to Fenty’s public schools chancellor. She has taken on the monumental crusade of dismantling and rebuilding the academic side, from classrooms to administration. Her successes will come at the cost of bruising some voters and Fenty supporters. Fenty was brave to take on the schools, and Rhee will succeed, but the political upside is paltry in the short term.