A Williams Lake consultant and political analyst is the first person to announce plans to seek the BC Liberal Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA nomination.
Mike Geoghegan has lived in the lakecity for the last couple of years and said while a candidate election meeting for the region has yet to be scheduled by the BC Liberals, he is aware of at least two other people who are interested in the nomination.
“We know that the NDP is looking at calling a provincial election the last week of September or the first week in October,” he told the Tribune recently.
Read more: ‘Opportunity’ for election in fall, next spring or summer, B.C. premier says
“The reason they are going for a fall election is because the NDP are riding high in the polls right now and want to convert their minority government into a majority government.”
In January 2020, MLA Donna Barnett confirmed she would not be seeking re-election.
Jen Holmwood, press secretary with the Office of the Premier noted in an e-mail that the Premier addressed the question of a fall election in his media availability Wednesday, Aug. 12 and forwarded a transcript where he stated:
“We are a minority government and in that context, every day is potentially your last day. Quite frankly, that’s been motivation for me, over the past three years, to focus on the things that matter to British Columbians. I’m going to stay on that track as long as I can.”
Geoghegan grew up in the Southern Interior and achieved a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Victoria.
He lived in Victoria, working at the B.C. legislature for four and a half years, as a ministerial assistant and then became a government relations consultant.
While in Victoria he used to do weekly political commentary on a local radio station, which he gave up when he moved to Williams Lake, for a six-month contract as an acting executive director for the Tsilhqot’in National Government.
He still does regular TV news interviews where he comments on federal politics.
“I got bitten by the political bug at a young age,” he said.
Geoghegan noted a priority for the riding is infrastructure funding, and something he has experience lobbying for in other areas.
Sarah Jackman, now working as a consultant, is his campaign manager.
“I wouldn’t be supporting Mike if I didn’t completely believe in him,” Jackman said.
Geoghegan’s wife is general manager of the Sandman Hotel and Suites Williams Lake.
Williams Lake resident Lorne Doerkson, 51, announced this week he will also be seeking the B.C. Liberal nomination.
READ MORE: Lorne Doerkson running for Liberal MLA nomination in Cariboo-Chilcotin
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