A dozen years after a failed re-election attempt, Brenda Locke is once again a battling it out in Surrey-Green Timbers.

Locke has been named the B.C. Liberals’ candidate in the riding for the upcoming provincial election.

Locke served one term as MLA in Surrey-Green Timbers, defeating incumbent Sue Hammell in the 2001 B.C. election. But Hammell regained the seat for the NDP in the 2005 election and has been the MLA for the riding ever since.

Hammell (left), who has represented Surrey-Green Timbers in Victoria for 22 of the past 26 years, announced earlier this year she will not run in the May 9 provincial election.

“Surrey is my home and making it even better is my passion,” said Locke, who served as Minister of State for Mental Health and Addiction Service while she was in government. “Only Premier Christy Clark and the B.C. Liberal team have a plan to grow the economy and deliver jobs and opportunity for Surrey residents – and I’m running so that I can support that work.”

Locke is currently an executive director with the Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of British Columbia and also serves on the board of the Surrey Urban Mission.

She was elected as the Liberals were swept into power in May 2001 by winning 77 of  79 seats. Locke earned 49 per cent of the vote in Surrey-Green Timbers.

The Liberals were re-elected in May 2005, but Locke lost the seat to Hammell, who received 60 per cent of the vote.

Locke, who ran unsuccessfully for the federal Liberals in the 2006 and 2008 federal elections in Fleetwood-Port Kells, will be running against Rachna Singh (left) of the NDP in the May election.

Singh was named the NDP candidate on Jan. 29.

She has been a union activist for several years and has a masters of psychology degree. She has worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor and as a support worker for victims of domestic violence and people living with addictions.