DAISETTA, Texas -- Saturday was election time in the small town of Daisetta, but local political campaigns were in a hole, literally.

A chunk of the town started sinking on Wednesday and politicians have been working around the clock. But the hungry hole is doing much more than running politics. It is attracting visitors from all over.

“Just drove up and hoped to see something,” said Sherrill Corson.

Dozens of people showed up Saturday to see the massive crater with their own eyes.

“When you look at it, the dirt was still crumbling. That's what I think you see on TV as a movie,” said sinkhole tourist Joyce Trahan.

But officials turned everyone away.

“I wish I could see the hole,” said Norman Hickman.

We're told people from as far as Virginia and Vermont have stopped by to see the hole. But one city leader says that all that attention is a double-edged sword.

On one side, the attention from visitors is great for the town’s local economy.

On the other, the road that crosses the town is blocked and traffic is detoured.

“We had a nice ride, now we know where Daisetta is,” said sinkhole gawker Sherrill Corson.

There's no telling if the sinking hole will make this a tourism-based town, but it could change politics.

“We'll see tonight whether I have to worry about it or not,” said Mayor Lynn Wells, who faced Eric Thaxton for the mayoral seat Saturday.

For Mayor Wells, staying in office could mean keeping the entire town out of the hole.