Councilman Marty Small would be the front-runner to become acting mayor and succeed Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam in the event of a resignation by the city leader following an appearance in federal court in Camden today.

The municipal Democratic Committee would pick three names to give to the city council.

The council would pick one of the the three.

In a replay of the Mayor Bob Levy mess, Gilliam’s successor would become mayor until November, when there would be a special election for the last year of the unexpired term.

Small is the favorite.

In the words of one source, Craig “Callaway has a lot of influence on the Democratic Committee right now. There is no one formidable enough to fend off Small.”

Gilliam defeated Small in a bruising 2017 Democratic Primary.