Fitness trainer Gord McNeilly received the nod as the P.E.I. Liberal candidate for Charlottetown-West Royalty on Thursday night.
McNeilly will be running in the district of MLA Kathleen Casey, who will not be re-offering after representing the riding for 11 years.
McNeilly, whose nomination was uncontested, was the second candidate to be nominated for the P.E.I. Liberals last week. Tommy Kickham was nominated as the Liberal candidate in Souris-Elmira on Tuesday night.
According to a Liberal party official, 87 registered Liberal party members living in the Charlottetown-West Royalty district attended Thursday’s nomination meeting.
McNeilly said he decided to run in the district because he felt a close connection with the community in which he has lived for 18 years.
“I wanted to step up,” he said. “I really believe in this community and the people. I wanted to do anything I could to help out."
McNeilly ran in 2015 with the provincial NDP against Casey. He lost to Casey by 109 votes but came closer than any other NDP candidate to winning a seat.
Four years later, McNeilly watched as Casey addressed Liberal party members at his own nomination meeting. He said he was hopeful that Casey would get involved in his campaign.
"I wanted to acknowledge the amazing work and the longevity of Kathleen Casey's career," he said.
When asked if he believed there would be an election in the fall of this year, McNeilly did not deny the possibility.
"I have no idea," he said. "Anything could happen."
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