Our friends at the London Free Press are reporting this morning that the NDP candidate in Elgin-Middlesex-London resigned today. NDPer Ryan Dolby said he made “a strategic decision” to quit because “I am worried if Stephen Harper gets a majority.” This, I'm pretty sure, guarantees that the whole “coalition” meme is going to pop back up on the campaign trail for the leaders.
Indeed, Free Press reporter Randy Richmond has already tweeted that the Conservative incumbent in Elgin-Middlesex-London, Joe Preston, has already call this evidence of a coalition.
The NDP still has plenty of time to find a candidate. The deadline from Elections Canada to file the papers to become an Official Candidate for the May 2 vote is not until April 11.
Still, based on the results of the 2008 election, if every Liberal voted Liberal again, and every NDP voter from '08 voted Liberal, Preston would still win by more than 2,500 voters if all his voters showed up.
Meanwhile, the NDP National Campaign says Dolby's decision is unfortunate and that they'll have a nomination meeting in that riding within 48 hours. They are running candidates in all 308 ridings.