You could add this one to death and taxes

Was anyone shocked by this announcement? C'mon, anyone? Anyone shocked? Anyone at all?

So now Da Mayor is going to follow former Mayor Ron Kirk and make a run for the Senate. While Kirk wound up the Democratic nominee for the seat, I can't picture Da Mayor even making it to a GOP primary runoff.

But what's ahead for the City of Dallas? Who will be running now that Da Mayor is not. Right now you got to figure the race is going to be between two council members: the articulate, charismatic Angela Hunt (left), a Democrat who has absolutely no support from the downtown monied elite, and the equally articulate, non-charismatic Ron Natinsky (right), a Republican who has boat loads of backing from the landed gentry. That means Da Mayor actually will be running for re-election because Natinsky is, after all, nothing more than Da Mayor's beard.

If the voters are happy with Da Mayor's performance during the last four years, Natinsky should come out on top. However, if they've grown tired of the toll roads that will never be built, the convention center hotel controversy, and are frustrated about the Trinity River levees, than Hunt could prevail. However, if D-Wayne Carried Away decides to enter the fray, he will siphon away far more votes from Hunt than from Nat. Of course, if someone like former homeless czar now park patron Mike Rawlins decides to run, that hurts Nat more than Hunt.

It is interesting to note that while Dallas County is certified red, the city itself hasn't trended that way. How else do you explain the victory four years ago by Tea Party wannabee Da Mayor? That's unusual because in most urban areas, the Democratic base is usually found in the center. Here all the Democrats must be hiding out in Garland or Grand Prairie or Irving or Mesquite or someplace. Either that or they are just too partisan to vote in non-partisan elections. They need the label to guide them.

Say what you will about the guy, but Da Mayor has made sure the days between now and the May municipal elections are going to be a tad more exciting politically than they could have been.