Former cabinet minister John Ottenheimer won't seek PC leadership

John Ottenheimerwon't be making another run at the provincial Progressive Conservative leadership.

The former cabinet minister in the Danny Williams government and unsuccessful 2014 PC leadership candidate told CBC News on Friday that he's opting out largely due to timing.

• Who's out and who's considering a run to lead the PC Party

'LynyrdSkynyrdhas a song,Free Bird,and that's kind of the situation I'm in right now.'- John Ottenheimer

"It's quite conceivable that it may be another year or perhaps 18 months before there's a leadership convention, and that is a significant period of time," he said.

Even if he were to run and win the leadership "and there's no guarantee of that," he said a provincial election is still three years away.

Bad timing

"I had given it some thought over the past number of weeks and I've come to the conclusion that the timing issue is the large issue here," he said.

A poll released earlier in November indicated Mount Pearl North MHA Steve Kent is the favoured choice within the party,and in the province as a whole, to be the party's new leader.

But Ottenheimerwas second, notfar behind Kent.

• Steve Kent favoured for PC leadership, suggests Abacus poll

Ottenheimersaid the poll didn't influence his thinking one way or another.

"I would have thought Mr. Kent and I would have done well in that poll because we were both candidates in the last leadership convention, and of course that was only just over two years ago," he said.

Leaves door open for return to politics

He's not ruling out a future return to politics, though.

"That question gets asked of politicians very often and the truthful answer, I think, for most of us, is you can never rule anything out," he said.

As for what he'll do instead, Ottenheimer calls it a "good question," the answer to which lies in the lyrics of a southern U.S. rock band.

"Lynyrd Skynyrd has a song, Free Bird,and that's kind of the situation I'm in right now," he said.

"I'm very much a free agent and I'm looking at other possibilities, and I'll make a decision in the next little while as to what my future will entail for me."