A smooth-talking mayor versus a blunt-talking radio host.

An urban progressive centrist versus a popular prairie conservative who is a generation older than his rival.

With talk radio personality Dave Rutherford openly mulling a run against Mayor Naheed Nenshi, this fall’s election could become a lot more interesting.

It’s unclear who approached the soon-to-be-former CHQR Radio host to run for mayor, but Rutherford confirmed “individual contacts” have asked him and he is thinking about it.

“Well, I’m considering it,” Rutherford, 64, told the Herald on Tuesday.

“At the end of July, the talk show’s retired, and I’ve said on the air that I’m looking at new opportunities — options open, new horizons — so who knows?”

Political organizers and observers said Rutherford could seriously challenge Nenshi but would have trouble beating him in a city where no sitting mayor has lost a re-election bid since 1980.

That feat was accomplished by another media guy, then-CTV reporter Ralph Klein.

Could Rutherford make it happen again?

“It would be an uphill climb, but anything is possible in this racket,” said Rod Love, Klein’s former aide, in an email to the Herald.

Love and other conservative politicos in Calgary expressed puzzlement at who may be whispering in Rutherford’s ear that running for mayor is a good move after the Rutherford Show ends its two-decade run on July 26.

But with nobody else stepping forward to challenge Nenshi, Rutherford was an obvious brand name to go into the rumour mill, said Donn Lovett, who briefly managed former CTV anchor Barb Higgins’ 2010 mayoral bid.

“Nenshi is beginning to piss some people off,” Lovett said, citing the $52-million tax hike debate.

“And people are looking for a candidate to run against him.”

Rutherford wouldn’t say when he’ll announce if he’ll run in the Oct. 21 race. He still has eight more weeks before his full-time radio job ends.

“I haven’t made a decision on it. There’s no (campaign) infrastructure in place, so I really don’t know,” he said. “My wife will just be kicking around options and . . . to be really honest, I have not made a decision.”

This was news to John Vos, CHQR’s program director, who had been in talks regarding other roles for Rutherford after his morning show ends.

“I wouldn’t expect him to . . . discuss with me his aspirations or next move. He does his own thing, which I’m good with. That’s what makes him so colourful,” Vos said.

Vos said Rutherford could keep appearing on the station until September’s nomination day if he were running, as long as he steered clear of talking about civic politics.

Nenshi, 41, has expressed hopes there’s a vigorous debate among mayoral candidates this fall, and has jokingly teased city hall reporters about running. His campaign strategist Stephen Carter appears to relish competing against the provincewide talk-show host.

“Bring it,” Carter wrote on Twitter.

While Nenshi chafes when observers suggest he’s a liberal, he’s certainly not as conservative as Dave Rutherford, whose vigorous criticism of the provincial government has led to the cold shoulder treatment from Tory Premier Alison Redford.