When John Horgan announced his entry into the B.C. New Democrat leadership fray Monday, the campaign to replace outgoing leader Adrian Dix officially became a two-person race.
Horgan, a Vancouver Island MLA, joins Port Coquitlam MLA and finance critic Mike Farnworth in the bid for the party's top spot.
"I think it's going to be a great race, I think it's going to be really exciting," said Dix, during a stop in Prince George Tuesday.
This city will be a key battleground, Dix added.
"It's essential that the NDP - if we're to form government - does well in Prince George. We're going to continue the effort here and I think both of those candidates, you're going to see often here."
Making the first overture is Horgan, who will meet with local party members and supporters at the Civic Centre today at 6 p.m.
Local NDP representatives said they're excited about the upcoming campaign, though two out of the three of them have already made up their minds about who they're going to support.
Former Prince George-Mackenzie NDP candidate and riding association president Bobby Deepak is on Team Horgan.
"He's a real guy who can connect with British Columbians," said Deepak. "He understands the economy, he understands resource communities and he understands the issues we, as British Columbians, face day to day. I think he's ready."
But Deepak isn't discounting Farnworth, who placed second behind Dix in the 2011 leadership race.
"Mike Farnworth, [is] a great guy. He's articulate, he's passionate and he's got a lot of experience," said Deepak. "So it's going to be a tough choice for the NDP supporters to decide."
Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett, also a former candidate, Nechako Lakes riding association president and a director at large on the party's provincial executive, is also backing Horgan, like she did in his 2011 bid.
"I think he resonates with voters. I think the message that he sends and how he sends it really gets across to people," Skidmore-Hewlett said. "He's not afraid of a challenge either. He's not afraid to fight the good fight where it needs to be fought. He won't shy away from that."
Former Prince George-Valemount candidate Sherry Ogasawara hasn't decided who she is going to support yet, and noted that there's still time before the September vote for others to enter the race.
"I haven't had an opportunity as yet to have a conversation with them about this particular issue at this juncture and I look forward to having those conversations and being able to ask some of the hard questions," Ogasawara said.
But both men who have thrown their hat into the ring have a litany of qualities Ogasawara said she is encouraged by and excited about.
Whoever ends up as Dix's successor has a tall order in front of them, the three local party members said.
Ogasawara has a long wishlist for a new leader, one which can take the party through the period of rejuvenation that started with last November's convention in Vancouver.
"It's not really a revolution," she said. "It's not revolutionary, it's really evolutionary because our roots are in our past and that really does pave the way to the future."
This leader should not only appeal to the broader public and have the ability to captivate, she said, but also someone who can both talk about the economy with confidence and what the NDP are going to do about it.
For Skidmore-Hewlett, an ability to address both urban and rural issues will be key.
"Part of the problem is that we have very different issues from folks in the Lower Mainland or in the bigger centres and whoever's leading the party needs to be able to address both of those communities and the issues that face them," she said.
Local NDP supporters will be looking at who is the best person for the job, overall, and part of that is being strong on creating an economy that works for the whole province, said Deepak.
"That means good resource jobs and good stewardship so our natural resources benefit our communities over the long term," he said. "That means a person that has the energy and experience to take on Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberals' terrible record in government - a person that can inspire us with a better way of life in B.C."
It's a daunting task for whomever ends up with the job, Ogasawara added.
"But as well as those risks, I think the rewards are equally great because if you look at where we've come from, just by reversing the results and I think it's nine seats, this next leader will be the next premier of the province," she said. "And that's not an insurmountable task given the right person."
