If the polls are to be believed, D.C. residents are judging their candidates for mayor on the basis of style and not substance. The challenger in next Tuesday’s primary, City Council Chairman Vincent Gray, 67, has been a likable and reassuring campaigner, especially in predominantly African-American wards, which are feeling anxious about the city’s rapid pace of reform. The incumbent, Adrian Fenty, 39, admits to a tin ear. He has demonstrated such eagerness to get on with the business of government that he forgot to bring the people with him.

As a result, there is a disconnect between what Fenty has done and how he is perceived. But on matters of substance, which will determine whether Washington becomes a truly livable place for residents of all races and in all wards, Fenty has a decidedly positive track record. Under Mayor Fenty, Washington suddenly has a palpable sense that the city’s major institutions and neighborhoods are finally moving in the right direction. People haven’t felt this way for decades.