Liberal and Conservative leadership races taking shape

The Prince Edward Island Liberal and Conservative parties saw movement Monday, as the leadership races start to take shape.

For the Tories, hopeful candidates are beginning to speak publicly and make their intentions known. As for the Liberals, a backbench MLA has bowed out.

Charlottetown MLA Robert Mitchell was one of the few sitting members who didn’t attend Wade MacLauchlan's leadership announcement on Friday.

Mitchell had considered his own leadership move, but on Monday made it clear he would not run.

“Last couple of weeks, I did take a serious look at it,” he said. “But officially, as of this afternoon, I am withdrawing my name.”

Mitchell says he now supports MacLauchlan for the top job. He admits a serious leadership bid would have cost him about $45,000.

“I did have financial commitment from a lot of the business community who were willing to support me financially,” he said. “But, to go out and spend their money for what seems like a second place finish, it's just, it doesn't seem like the right thing to do.”

The race for the Conservative party leadership has growing interest from the community.

Business operator Jamie Fox, who placed third in the last leadership race, is all but committed to running. He says he wants to bring honesty back to government.

"You should be doing this again, don't give up"

“In the last six or eight months, I've had an awful lot of people, I travel the Island and I'm around all the time, I have a lot of people that stop and talk to me, and they say, you should be doing this again, don't give up,” he said.

There speculation that Stratford MLA James Aylward would run for party leader and he says he’s close to a decision.

“Yes, I have been contacted by many people across the Island, and they're very supportive of me making this decision, but it's something that I really have to put some serious thought in to,” he said. “It's a tremendous responsibility, I mean, it's obvious to any Islander where this Island currently is.”

Darlene Compton will also likely announce soon. Compton was a Conservative candidate in the 2011 election, and lost to incumbent Charlie McGeoghegan in Belfast-Murray River by eight ballots.

“It's a huge commitment, you know, for your personal life and your professional life,” she said. “I have a good job now that I really enjoy. It's making that commitment, to do it for myself and for the province I think.”

For the Conservatives, any serious candidates may not make their intentions known until Monday. That's the day the party officially accepts nominations for leadership.