Drove around Dallas north of Northwest Highway for 90 minutes on Sunday in search of mayoral campaign yard signs (and spent $3.40 a gallon gas in the process — talk about dedication). We’ve had several discussions over the years about whether yard signs matter; the general consensus seems to be that they’re one indication of who is doing better than someone else.
In this case, with the mayoral election eight weeks away, I learned two things. First, if yard signs matter, this election is a huge yawner. I drove the mosh pit of Dallas city politics, where people actually vote and elections are decided — Belt Line south to Northwest Highway, and the Richardson city line to just west of the tollway. Most of the neighborhoods didn’t have any yard signs, and those I did see had one or two a block, tops. Yes, it wasn’t a scientific survey, but if those people aren’t interested, will anyone be?
Second, I saw Rawlings yard signs. I saw Kunkle yard signs. I saw Pray to Save America yard signs. I saw yard signs for high school athletics. But I didn’t see one Ron Natinsky yard sign. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Assuming Natinsky is doing yard signs (and his web site says he is), this must mean something. But I have no idea what that it is. It’s just too surreal to make any sense of.
Updated odds:
• Far North Dallas councilman Ron Natinsky (7-2, previously 5-2): He didn’t get former Preston Hollow councilman Mitch Rasansky’s endorsement, the first significant name to go elsewhere (to Kunkle). And what does the yard sign business mean?
• Park Board president Mike Rawlings (6-1, previously 8-1): Got my first Rawlings campaign mailer, which looked expensive but seemed to come from the same template that ex-Mayor Park Cities used when he ran in 2007. Rawlings says he had $200 when he arrived in Dallas; Leppert said he worked as a janitor to support his family.
• Former police chief David Kunkle (5-1, previously 6-1): He had a relatively fair number of signs in Natinsky territory, and the Rasansky endorsement should help.
