John Horgan took a giant step towards securing the provincial NDP leadership Tuesday and his local supporters are thrilled with the development.
Horgan is now the lone contender in the race to replace outgoing leader Adrian Dix after his erstwhile rival Mike Farnworth dropped out of the race Tuesday and the majority of the caucus endorsed Horgan.
"I think it's great, I think it shows unity in the party and I think that's what we have to have when we're preparing ourselves to win the next election," said Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett, who ran for the NDP in Nechako Lakes last May.
Farnworth's departure opens the door to Horgan being acclaimed the next leader should no one step forward before the May 1 party-imposed cut off. That would allow for a swift transition, but would also rob the party of the chance to raise its profile through a full blown leadership convention.
"In one way now I'm very happy John is the only declared candidate as he was the one I was backing," said Bobby Deepak, who ran in Prince George-Mackenzie last year. "In another way, I think the excitement that would have been generated by a leadership race is lost and an opportunity to hear debate on important issues facing British Columbians is lost."
Skidmore-Hewlett, Deepak and Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen all said they were caught off guard by Farnworth's sudden departure from the race.
Farnworth, the party's finance critic, finished second in the last leadership race ahead of third-place Horgan. But this time out Horgan quickly secured key caucus and party endorsements and appeared to be leading the race.
"I think that when it came to the leadership race between Mike Farnworth and John Horgan, I personally thought that Mike Farnworth was a great guy, he was articulate and very experienced and if he had won I believe the B.C. NDP would still have been in good hands," Deepak said. "But I supported John because I'm of the opinion he understands the north and he understands resource communities better than Mike Farnworth."
Horgan had initially said he wasn't going to run to replace Dix because he felt that it was time for the next generation to step into a leadership role, but reconsidered after the likes of Cullen, Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson and rookie MLA David Eby all passed on the race for various reasons.
Cullen, who supported Horgan in the last leadership race, said his decision and those of other potential candidates to stay out of the race doesn't mean the provincial job is seen as undesirable.
"People will read into it, particularly our opponents will, but to say people didn't desire this or hope for this for themselves is obviously untrue," he said. "It's much more a case of these unique circumstances led to this result."
Last week Cullen said he was aware of at least one other potential candidate who is mulling a run, but he isn't winning to share a name. He's not sure how Farnworth's departure will change the dynamic and the deliberations of the unnamed candidate.
"Now that this announcement is out, it changes what that person thought and what we all thought a week ago," he said.
Deepak doesn't expect any new candidates will emerge, which will allow Horgan to take over from Dix in early May.
"I personally think it's unlikely because John has the backing of Mike Farnworth, almost the entire B.C. NDP caucus and many of the key supporters," he said. "As well there's a $25,000 fee to enter as a candidate which may be restrictive."
Should Horgan take over right away, Skidmore-Hewlett said it would give the party more time to do necessary rebuilding, like connecting with voters in rural ridings where the party struggled last May.
"I think that was part of our disconnect in the last election," she said. "We need to get out there and engage people."
Deepak said a Horgan-led party has a chance to change the narrative that the NDP are against all natural resource development ideas.
"I backed John Horgan from Day 1, he's the person I think can kill the false perception that the B.C. NDP is anti-resource," he said. "I think that with John the B.C. NDP will become moreso the party for British Columbians: good decisions, balanced resource development, jobs and the economy."
