B.C. Liberal leadership contenders lie low

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell's surprise announcement on Wednesday that he plans to step down has sparked plenty of speculation about who might be in the race to replace him as Liberal leader, but so far no contenders have stepped forward.

Campbell has scheduled a news conference for 9 a.m. PT to speak about his decision to step down, but for now he remains the head of the B.C. Liberal Party and the premier until a successor is chosen.

Party spokesman Chad Peterson said the Liberal executive has 28 days to hold a meeting and following that it has six months to set a convention date.

The party has already rescheduled its annual convention that was set for Penticton later this month. President Mickey Patryluk said the Nov. 19 and 20 event has been put on hold until a leadership convention can be called.

Party officials revealed that Campbell had already received 84 per cent support from party members in an advance leadership review poll that was supposed to be released at the convention.

Possible contenders remain quiet

On Wednesday, half a dozen possible contenders for the B.C. Liberal leadership said it's still too early to contemplate a bid, with most saying this was time to honour Campbell, not to declare political ambitions.

Several members from within Campbell's current Liberal cabinet are considered likely to enter the leadership contest, which Campbell said he's asked the party to arrange as soon as possible.

The names of some municipal politicians and former politicians are also being mentioned.

Health Minister Kevin Falcon is the first name on many lists. He's seen as ambitious, but is also cautious about appearing too eager, too soon.

"Today is really about the premier," Falcon said Wednesday. "It is not about people that may or may not be considering running."

Other ministers possible

Other possible candidates include veteran ministers Rich Coleman, Mike de Jong, Colin Hansen and George Abbott, but all — especially Finance Minister Hansen — could be tarred by their association with Campbell and the unpopular harmonized sales tax.

Broadcaster and former B.C. cabinet minister Christy Clark and Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts may consider running. But Watts also deferred to the prevailing sense that this isn't the time to say one way or the other.

"It's about the premier, it's about his legacy," Watts said. "It's about the good things that have been done for this province."

Former Liberal finance minister Carole Taylor, long touted as a potential Campbell successor, recently took a three-year job as chancellor of Simon Fraser University, which many said was her signal that she has no interest in Campbell's job.

Current Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson's name has surfaced as potential leadership material for both the Liberals and New Democrats.

Campbell long dominant

Maverick MLA Blair Lekstrom's name has also surfaced.

Lekstrom, who quit the Liberal cabinet and caucus in June because he wasn't happy with Campbell's handling of the HST, is still a party member and would not rule out taking a shot.

However, he said Wednesday "today, it's pretty early to say that."

UBC political scientist Richard Johnston said Campbell has held such a firm grip on the Liberals for 17 years, it has been hard to see past him for leadership material.

"Because he has so dominated the party since he took it over, it's a real top-down, my-way-or-the-highway operation, that it's kind of hard to get a grip on what it s that you have to do to win the leadership and who these people might be," Johnston said.