After three months of mulling over the provincial NDP’s leadership position, Burnaby Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart has decided to hold onto his post in Ottawa.
The local MP was seriously considering running for leader of the B.C. NDP but yesterday informed his political associates that he decided against it.
“I think I had a shot at winning it, but in the end, the federal pull was just too great,” Stewart told the NOW.
The deciding factors were Stewart’s e-petition motion passing in House of Commons recently (a rare feat for an Opposition member) and NDP leader Thomas Mulcair.
“I went to Tom’s house for dinner last week. I was sitting there thinking, ‘We’ve had a lot of success here in the House. I think this guy can be prime minister, and I want to be in the House.’ I think that tipped it to stay federally.”
Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian was also considering a shot at the provincial leadership position but in the end decided not to run.
That leaves zero candidates officially in the race, although Stewart said David Eby and Mike Farnworth are considering.
“There hasn’t been a single declared candidate,” Stewart said.
The B.C. NDP will choose a new leader on Sept. 28.
