The field of candidates looking to take the seat of an ousted Omaha City Councilman is rapidly taking shape.

With the deadline to file for the post this Tuesday, there are at least half a dozen hopefuls, including one well-known South Omahan who initially indicated he wasn’t interested.

[View our full video report above]

With Vinny Palermo gone—he’s in jail accused of federal fraud and corruption charges—the move to fill his empty seat on the Omaha City Council is in full swing.

Several making their case publicly:

There’s former Omaha Deputy Police Chief Mark Martinez, his last job US Marshall in Nebraska.

Mark Martinez: “Presidentially appointed by President Obama. I worked in that facility for eight and half years. I'm battle tested and what I mean by that is when I made lieutenant, the first Latino lieutenant, I was told by a higher ranking officer who wanted to meet me for lunch that people in the Police Department wanted to see me fail and not only see me fail but fail miserably.”

Margo Suarez is on the Omaha School Board.

Margo Suarez: “On the school board I'm really learning a lot of good skills that I think are transitional to working on the City Council.”

Garry Gernandt is the lone hopeful with City Hall chops.,

Garry Gernandt: “I believe I could bring to the table the 16 years that I served on the Omaha City Council from 2001 to 2017; working with the department heads, working with, I lost the number of mayors.”

Joe Jordan, NCN: “What about you?"

Ben Salazar: "Well…"

That’s South Omaha activist Ben Salazar who tells me his “hat is in the ring.”

A few weeks ago, he was less certain.

Salazar: “I'm not running for it. I'm not actively pursuing it. I haven't declared my candidacy. I know some people have. Whatever happens it happens.”

Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan: “I think South Omaha needs more.”

Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan, who ran against Palermo and was landslided, testified at this week’s public hearing on the budget against Mayor Jean Stothert’s decision to suspend the city’s $126,000 to PACE, the inner-city non-profit caught up in the Palermo probe.

Joe Jordan, NCN: “Mayor those suspended payments from the city, are you any closer to reinstating them?”

Mayor Jean Stothert (R): “I'm not reinstating them. We asked for the ARPA funding that they didn't use back and we're not reinstating the money that the city gives them until the federal investigation is complete. There’s no way that I'm going to approve taxpayer dollars.”

Barrientos-Patlan: “The $125,000 is much needed when you think about our kids.”

The remaining 6-member city council votes on the budget next month, which is when they will also vote to choose  the new 7th member, Palermo’s replacement.