CBC has confirmed the rumours swirling around for a couple of days. Jerome! Kennedy – presumptive front-runner to replace Danny Williams – won’t be running for the job.
CBC is also reporting that he’ll announce his intentions publicly next week. Don’t be surprised if Jerome! also indicates he won’t be seeking re-election next fall. Williams got Kennedy into politics and Kennedy has enjoyed his leading role in cabinet because of his close personal relations to Williams.
Interestingly, Jerome! was one of the two cabinet ministers who hung around with Danny after Danny told cabinet he was quitting. The other was Tom Marshall.
Marshall is also reportedly considering a run for the job. As CBC notes, no one is officially in the race. The closest anyone has come is education minister Darin King. Some have suggested Kathy Dunderdale should stay on.
So far no one has asked Joan Burke if she’s interested in the job. She’s been reputed to have a team in place and some cash in the bank.
If the Conservatives settle on either Dunderdale or Marshall, the party would be appointing a caretaker who might stay only long enough to see the party through the next election.
Since 1949, incumbent political parties in Newfoundland and Labrador have had no shortage of potential rivals for the top job from the moment it became vacant. This is the first time in 61 years that a party has had apparent difficulty attracting candidates.
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