Prince or Troll?

Sure, pretty much every Latino politician in L.A. starts out as a prince. But how long can they last? Familiarity breeds contempt, and once they’ve been in office a few years, some begin to look like, well, trolls. So how do L.A.’s MAPs stack up? The L.A. Weekly’s handy troll-o-meter shows where some of our favorites stand.

—Daniel Hernandez and David ZahniserPRINCE

Fabian NúñezHe’s got Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wrapped around his finger and a plan to stay in office another eight years. He may be in Sacramento, but he’s a prince in L.A.

Antonio VillaraigosaShould be pure prince, but the city’s most media-friendly mayor is showing some wear and tear — all over the map, and with a school plan that’s a mess.

José HuizarA rising star. But could he shut up about his degree from Princeton already?

Mike HernandezRedemption is possible, and this guy’s the proof. Busted for buying coke a decade ago, he got clean and sober and now advises two council members — Bernard Parks and Jan Perry.

Xavier BecerraOnetime choirboy lost his sheen during 2001 mayoral elections — thanks to misleading “Gloria Marina” telephone messages staged by his allies. But he sits on Ways and Means Committee and was just tapped by Nancy Pelosi to be assistant to the speaker. Is redemption at hand?

Richard AlarcónNever happy with his latest office, he’s back at City Hall. And he’s bringing another troll with him — real estate developer James Acevedo.

Richard AlatorreHappy to lurk in the background after his 1999 guilty plea for tax evasion, Alatorre nonetheless has the mayor’s ear — and a few consulting gigs on the side.

Mario BeltranHookers. Holdups. This Mexican-raised councilman from Bell Gardens is a full-on troll and he’s not even 30!TROLL