Brian Eades has dropped a bombshell.

The good doctor and senior member of the Amarillo City Council is quitting his post this summer and will continue his medical practice in rural western Colorado.

What are the potential consequences of this event? Well, to borrow a phrase: They’re yuuuuuuge, man.

Think of it as a microcosm of the current battle within the national Republican Party: insurgents vs. the establishment.

Eades is one of two City Council members who come from the city’s so-called “establishment.” The other is Mayor Paul Harpole. The three remaining council members — Elisha Demerson, Randy Burkett and Mark Nair — could be called “insurgents.” They vowed to bring radical change to city government when they campaigned for the council in 2015.

What happens now?

The rest of the council gets to appoint Eades’ successor.

Who gets the job? Will the new person come from the establishment sector or will he or she come from the ranks of the rebels who want to continue the change?

The city charter grants limits the mayor’s actual power, so that means Harpole cannot really orchestrate the selection process. He no doubt wants someone who agrees with Eades’ municipal view.

He has only one vote, though. The other three are in the catbird seat.

Or so one might think.

The mayor does have what Teddy Roosevelt called “the bully pulpit.” Does he use his office as a place from which he can preach the municipal gospel to those with whom he works? Does he reach out to the community to persuade rank-and-file residents — folks like you and me — of the need to find someone who can join him in resisting the occasional impulses of his colleagues who might want to move quickly toward some unknown policy destination.

Is there even a need to make such an effort?

Dr. Eades has served the city well during his time on the council. I wish him well as he prepares to leave the region where he grew up and where he has earned a nice living.

I’m betting that Paul Harpole isn’t too happy to learn of this departure. The other three guys are rubbing their hands together.