It's a Full Race For City Council District Two

By Jake Wasikowski

CREATED Mar. 4, 2013

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  • It's not just the mayor's race that's highly contested in Omaha. Five people are running for the District Two City Council seat including incumbent Ben Gray. Video by kmtv.com

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Omaha, NE -- It's not just the mayor's race that's highly contested in Omaha.  Five people are running for the District Two City Council seat including incumbent Ben Gray.  Their backgrounds differ, but the four challengers to unseat Councilman Gray agree that it's time for a change.

Former police officer Tariq Al-Amin has the support of Senator Ernie Chambers.  Years ago, Al-Amin violently threatened an Omaha minister on his cable show.  He later apologized.

"I do not believe the district is being represented at the level we deserve.  Councilman Gray has chosen to tell us lies, blame poverty for all our ills, and spend too much time on issues that are non issues in district two," Al-Amin described.

Most of the candidate's focus is around ending violence, and unemployment.  Attorney Timothy Ashford, an Omaha South HS grad, says he's prosecuted or defended thousands of criminal cases.

"The plans we have in place just haven't been working.  I as a citizen of north Omaha just haven't felt safe driving down the street, that's one of the reasons I’m running," Ashford explained.

Dennis Womack says he’s helped people get jobs for 30 years working with the U.S. Department of Labor, and Department of Commerce.  He says he offers experience surely needed to alleviate high levels of poverty, unemployment, and lack of housing.

At the age of 39, Bruce Hunter is the youngest person running.  The Omaha North HS grad is an attorney who's also lobbied for education reform, hoping to end crime and poverty trends early on.

"As far as the job creation I think that I understand what the young people will need in terms of jobs, and I also think I understand which jobs and industries are growing in this country with could be attractive to the City of Omaha," Hunter added.

Incumbent Ben Gray says he's going to run on his record whether it's against 1 or 4 opponents.

The primary will be held on April 2nd.  District 7 is the other race where 5 candidates are running.  For more information on who is running in your district check the Douglas County Election Commission Candidate Information Page.