Three to tango in Vancouver-Quadra?

Unfortunately, none of them is Neve Campbell. But Public Eye Online's Sean Holman reports there may soon be a third entrant for the Conservative nomination in Vancouver-Quadra, and the chance to take on Liberal Joyce Murray:

In an interview with Public Eye, Howard Jampolsky - who recently lost the Tory nomination race in Richmond to Alice Wong - confirmed he's thinking about putting his name on the ballot.

If he tosses his chapeau into the ring Howard would be facing some stiff competition in the form of former BC Cancer Foundation president and CEO Mary McNeil and UBC business lecturer Deborah Merideth. He’s also be entering into a heated atmosphere: Harper loyalist John Reynolds is touting McNeil as a ‘star candidate’ while old Tory Senators Gerry St. Germain and Pat Carney are backing Merideth. There were even rumours last week that McNeil’s supporters were pushing for a cabinet spot for their candidate.

And even if Jampolsky got past all that he’d still face an uphill battle against a former provincial environment minister in Murray in a riding Liberal Stephen Owen carried handily last time.

So, if I were Howard I’d think twice about getting in the middle of this dust-up. Particularly given that he just ran for, and lost, the Conservative nomination in Richmond.

I’ve never been a big fan of this kind of riding shopping. Between elections is one thing; Murray ran in a New Westminster-Coquitlam for the Liberals in 2006. Conservative star Peter Kent is moving to a riding seen as more winnable within the GTA for the next election.

But two ridings within the same election cycle? It just doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t like the message it sends to the constituents of either riding, which is that it’s much more about getting elected then it is about representing them.

It can be tough when a good candidate narrowly loses a tight nomination battle and there’s an open riding next door, but I feel the right thing to do is wait until next time. A very desirable Liberal candidate in the Toronto area lost a tough nomination battle a few months back, and there was talk of running her in another riding. As much as I’d like to see her on a ballot I was against it, I don’t think it’s right, and it’s wrong for Jamplosky too.

Anyway, even if he gets into the race it will probably be all academic, I’d bet on McNeil at this point. Of course, this is all assuming Harper ever bothers to call the by-election…

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