All eyes are on San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro as President Barack Obama officially nominated Castro as the new secretary of housing and urban development.
Council members said Friday that the announcement does not come as a surprise, but they are looking forward and will eventually get down to who will lead the city when the mayor is gone.
However, first they said there will be a confirmation process and when the time comes, they will select among themselves who will be the interim mayor.
District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg and District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher have all expressed interest.
"Whoever winds up getting that nod is going to have the opportunity to take Julian's agenda, which is San Antonio's agenda and we look forward to the next level," said Lopez. "I'm certainly willing to do that, but that's really between now and the time that the election comes."
"I've told my colleagues that I'm certainly interested in the position, should they choose me," said Nirenberg. "But, right now, we really can't be focused on next year. It's a long way away. We still have a lot of work to do in the city."
"I consider the job I'm doing and the job of all of the council people our duty to the public," said Gallagher. "So, if I'm required to be the mayor, I will be glad to step up."
District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran told us that she is not looking to fill the mayor's seat, at least for now, but that she is very happy for him.
"It's exciting for the city," said Viagran. "It's going to put another fantastic spotlight on the city of San Antonio and we know he will serve the city and the nation very well."
District 9 Councilman Joe Krier released this statement: "It is a great honor for Mayor Castro to be nominated as a Cabinet secretary and I am proud that a San Antonian will serve again in the position of HUD Secretary. Although we have very different political philosophies, I have enjoyed working with Mayor Castro on many Council votes that improved our City. As a member of the Council's Economic Development Committee, I am grateful for his strong efforts to recruit new jobs to our City. I wish him well in his new role. With regards to whom I think should serve as our next mayor, I still say: Julian Castro is our mayor until he is not. I think our country spends too much time speculating on whom will run for what and when... I think we should all just focus on the task of developing a 2015 city budget whose main priority is basic city services: streets & drainage, the best police and fire we can afford; parks and libraries."