Sunday, July 20, 2008

Terry Lake will indeed run provincially

It’s probably the easiest prediction to make about local politics in Kamloops and its two provincial ridings. First on the municipal scene: There will be a new mayor after the November election because Terry Lake will have committed himself to try to step up to the provincial game. Lake has yet to come out with an announcement, but his interest in seeking the B.C. Liberal nomination has been an open secret. The only real roadblock to a public declaration has been the issue of where he will seek the nomination — the Kamloops South riding or the Kamloops North constituency. Both Lake and incumbent Kamloops-North Thompson Liberal MLA Kevin Krueger live in Kamloops South. But Krueger confirms a decision is close to being made — and he’s already talking in terms of Lake as a Liberal candidate and not just a potential one. And while Krueger says the effort to consult constituents on who should run where is close to being completed, an educated guess is that has already been decided. The North Thompson and Krueger have been a good match and is a relationship that would be difficult for a newcomer to immediately duplicate. If Lake is to be given the best possible chance at being a successful Liberal candidate, there is no choice — he will have to run in Kamloops South. Making predictions can often be perilous, but this one seems to be a slam dunk.

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