Donnelly Mystery Answered?

City Councilor Tom Donnelly said this week he's "pretty certain" he'll run for mayor this year (story on on line yet). That makes three.

A four-term councilor, Donnelly's been around the track a few times. He joins incumbent Mayor Dan Mylott and Councilor Ted DeSalvatore on the likely-to-run list.

Donnelly could be an intriguing candidate. Mylott is Mylott. After 20 years in politics you know what your getting from him. DeSalvatore has staked out the energized, change flank. Where does Donnelly fit in? He's not really a change candidate, and doesn't have Mylott's power of incumbency or super-lengthy history. He's somewhere in between.

Some folks around here have left comments that if not word-or-word, pretty much say, "the devil you know or the devil you don't" in terms of Mylott and DeSalvatore. Is Donnelly a devil, or a middle-ground candidate? It'll be interesting to see where he shakes out as the campaign rolls on.

You have to think another name or two pops up between now and the fall. The stage is being set for a preliminary race and then the general election. A crowded early field can only help Mylott, how has the strongest locked-down base in the race. He can pretty much write his ticket to the finals, and let everyone scramble to get on the general election ticket, it would appear. Let the fun begin.