2010: Fireworks in EP?

Two El Paso candidates who had been on a collision course to run against one another now have big plans for public filing events at the same time and place. In El Paso, where politics are often a full-contact sport, it has the potential to get interesting.

I got an e-mail from Jose Rodriguez's campaign early this morning announcing he would file his paperwork to run for the Texas Senate today at noon at the El Paso County Democratic Party headquarters. No big shocker there. Rodriguez said a couple weeks ago he is running for the seat that state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh is vacating.

Then on Facebook a little while ago state Rep. Norma Chavez posted this: "I will file for my Texas House seat today at noon. Join my family and friends at the El Paso Democratic Party headquarters on Montana."

Chavez had initially considered taking on Rodriguez in what many expected to be a knock-down-drag-out brawl for the Texas Senate seat. Chavez backed away from the race, though, citing her desire to maintain seniority in the House and concerns about not-so-hot press in the last year.

Rodriguez said when he announced his Senate run that he wanted to work with the entire delegation and lessen the bickering among the El Paso lawmakers. Today could be an opportunity to see just how well that intention works, and whether he and Chavez can share the limelight.