As we reach the final month of the 2012 election cycle, many are looking forward to what lies ahead.

With polls leaning in Obama’s favor, some are already talking about who might run for President in 2016. Sure, that sounds like a long way off from now but not if you are considering a Presidential run. In fact, that race will begin the minute this one ends. Mitt Romney would not be the Republican nominee today if he had ever stopped campaigning since 2008. He won his party’s nomination through a very strong organization and a significant financial base. He has basically been running for President for about 8 years.

However, I’m more interested in the elections just around the corner. A client asked me about a certain Houston City Council Member the other day and as we were discussing a relative topic, I realized the person was term-limited. I pointed out to my client that City elections really launch their campaigns in February. I wish you could have heard the other end of the phone as they screeched at me that I had to be kidding.

No,really, I wasn’t kidding. The insider circles in Houston are buzzing about the 2013 local elections. Will the Mayor have a major opponent? Will incumbent Council Members have opponents? Who will run for the term-limited positions? The conversation is endless.

So take a deep breath folks, you just think it all ends on November 6. In fact, it will just be a brief respite. In January, the Legislature convenes and in February, the fundraising window for city elections opens.

There’s never a dull political moment in the Houston election cycle.