THE LAST WORD:

With three terms of council service under his belt, former Mayor Gary Monahan has been through his share of bruising political battles. Indeed, some have called him the most powerful politician in the history of Costa Mesa City Hall.

There is probably not a citywide issue that he hasn’t touched, even peripherally, and he has been embroiled in some of the biggest issues the city has faced over the last 10 years.

With 12 years of that, a business to run and six kids to feed, you’d think he had enough. But the owner of the popular Skosh Monahan’s bar and pub is back in the political fray once again, announcing he will run for council for a fifth time.

That’s right, fifth. Some may not remember that Monahan lost his first bid for politics back when he was the manager of the Goat Hill Tavern in 1992. But since that first defeat, Monahan has been on the winning end of votes more often than not.

While some may be wary of the man who teamed up with the current council majority to close the job center, the truth is Monahan is more pragmatic than some may think.

He’s a scrappy fighter who seems to be in the game for the best interest of Costa Mesa. Some, us included, may not always agree with his point of view or tactics, but there is no denying his influence is still strong.

So welcome back, Skosh. With you in the game, November is going to be an interesting time in Costa Mesa.