Provincial Liberal candidates hard to come by in southwestern Ontario

Finding a provincial Liberal candidatein Southwestern Ontario is a little like looking for a needle in a haystack.

With less than two months until Ontarianshit the polls to elect the next premier, only three of the 10 ridings south of London have named Liberal contenders.

Rino Bortolinis running in Windsor West, Remy Boulbolin Windsor-Tecumseh and Kate Graham in London North Centre.

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Queen's Park analyst Robert Fisher said he's not surprised.

"People in politics, they look at the polls and they can believe or disbelieve them, but there's a certain reality there," he said, alluding to the lead Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives have in the polls.

As of April 20, theCBC'sPoll Trackerhad Ford's PC partyleading in the polls by 43 per cent. The Liberals and NDP trail at 26.6per cent and 23.3 per cent, respectively.

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"It's not surprising that people would be slow to respond to invitations to run for KathleenWynnethis time or, in fact, for AndreaHorwathand theNDP," said Fisher.

One Liberal riding official not concerned

Lambton-Kent-Middlesexhas yet to nominate a Liberal candidate. MikeRadanis president of that riding's provincial Liberal association. He ran as a Liberalin the 2014 provincial election, losing to PC incumbent MonteMcNaughton.

Radansaid he's not concerned about the scarcity of Liberal candidates.

As time gets closer to the election, people start paying attention and then candidates will be in place.- Mike Radan, president, Lambton-Kent-MiddlesexProvincial Liberal Association

"At this point, so much focus is on the leader and the party platform," he said. "As time gets closer to the election, people start paying attention and then candidates will be in place."

He said his riding association hasn't scheduleda nomination meeting yet, and is still in the "process for a candidate search," but he is hoping to have a nominee in place by the time the writ is issued and the campaign is officially under way.

When asked if he would consider running again,Radansaid he's leaving the option open.

"I would certainly have no problem jumping in if things line up in my personal life," he said.

Several reasons why candidates not named yet

Another provincial Liberal who's not running in this election is Jason Dupuis. Hecompeted for the Windsor-Tecumseh seatin 2014, losing toNDPincumbent Percy Hatfield.

Dupuissaid heintended to run again, but decided to step aside forBoulbolbecause he believes "we need more women in government."

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He said there are several reasons why Liberal candidates might not be in place yet, one being that the party is vetting applicants more closely.

"In the last Federal election, you saw a lot of candidates have to withdraw or get pushed aside by a party, just because of things they had posted on social media," he said. "So they're being a little more thorough to make sure that they have the quality candidates that you would want in government."

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Dupuissaid another reasonsomeone might wait a bit longer to jump into the race is that "people have to put their careers on hold once campaigning starts."

A lot of people don't want to be in that grinder for six months or eightmonths, and will wait until the writ is dropped to get into the fray.- Jason Dupuis, Ontario Liberal, Windsor

And, with all the nastiness that goes with modern politicking,Dupuissaid: "A lot of people don't want to be in that grinder for six months or eightmonths, and will wait until the writ is dropped to get into the fray."

Fisher said it's not unheard of for candidates to be elected closer to the writdate, but"for all parties out there, you want to get things in place because it makes it pretty difficult for candidates who are picking up at the last minute."