Journalist wins over NDP supporters for St. John's South nod

New Democrats in St. John's South-Mount Pearl have picked a controversial journalist who recently described Jack Layton as a loser as their candidate in the October general election.

Ryan Cleary, who edited the weekly Independent newspaper until it folded this July, defeated environmental activist and longtime NDP supporter Fred Winsor for the nomination at a meeting on Wednesday night.

Cleary raised eyebrows with his jump to politics, in part because of his sometimes scathing remarks about NDP members, whom he once described as a "small pocket of aging granolas and artsy-fartsies."

Speaking after his win, Cleary said he's in the race for win, despite being a political neophyte.

"I feel great.  didn't know how it would go, obviously — I joined the party last Thursday," Cleary said.

"But [the] bottom line is [that] St. John's East, St. John's South-Mount Pearl — Jack Harris and myself, I believe we can take the east coast," said Cleary, referring to Harris, the former MP and provincial party leader who came out of political retirement to seek another term in the neighbouring riding.

Cleary will face Liberal Siobhan Coady, Conservative Merv Wiseman and Green candidate Ted Warren. The seat had been held by Tory Loyola Hearn, who is retiring.

Cleary, meanwhile, said he had no regrets about anything he has said about the party, which included a quip that the NDP "wouldn't win an election if Jackie Layton was given a 100-seat head start."

"As a commentator, I stood up to Danny Williams, I stood up to Stephen Harper, and I stood up to the NDP," he said.

"I did so with honesty. I did so with passion."

Cleary is not the only journalist who has jumped into this election. St. John's editor and commentator Craig Westcott is running for the Conservatives in St. John's East.