Despite "falling in love" with Detroit while filming a movie here, Ryan Gosling is not running for mayor of our troubled city, thus meaning residents will have to endure another four years of decidedly un-handsome leadership.
Gosling is in town with Eva Mendes filming "To Catch a Monster" and his sightings around town have been well-documented by Detroit residents who had never seen a celebrity before ever.
Because no famous person had ever visited Detroit since the city's inception in 1701, there was speculation that Gosling might lend his star power to political office, playing off of residents' long-held tendency to vote for people on name recognition alone.
As the window closes today for mayoral candidates to file petitions to run, however, Gosling's name was not on the list.
Gosling's absence won't mean the race won't be interesting. Detroit could have its first woman mayor or, much to the delight of Detroit News columnists who don't live in the city, its first white mayor in more than 40 years.
In alphabetical order as it always should be, Detroit's mayoral candidates include accountant and four-time candidate Tom Barrow; former Detroit Medical Center CEO Mike Duggan; State Rep. Fred Durhal; CPA and former State Rep. Lisa Howze; Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon; State Rep. John Olumba; and community volunteer Jean Vortkamp.
Current Mayor Dave Bing announced he would not be running and may be running for Wayne County Executive. Or maybe not. Who ever knows with that guy?