Mitchell hopes experience will be the ticket as he mulls leadership
Mitchell had been serving as interim leader
Charlottetown-Winsloe MLA Robert Mitchell is hoping Islanders are looking for experience as he considers running the for the provincial Liberal Party leadership.
Mitchell resigned as interim leader of the party Monday.
While there is no party rule that prevents him from being interim leader while running for the full-time position, he said he believes both require a lot of focus and attention and he did not feel comfortable trying to do both.
Mitchell also considered a run at the leadership in 2015, but stood aside to allow Wade MacLauchlan to run unopposed.
"Sometimes people look for experience, sometimes they look for newness. That time, obviously, it looked like Islanders were looking for somebody new, and that's great," said Mitchell.
Mitchell was first elected in 2007 and was a cabinet minister from 2015 until the Liberal government was defeated in the spring.
"I'm the old experienced guy. If my name is out there a little early — and people say 'I like the experienced part, you'd have my support' — that will give me time to gauge that. If people decide, or let me know they want something different, maybe somebody new, I'll certainly support that."
Mitchell expects a leadership convention is still months away.
According to the party's interim president, a new interim leader will be chosen at an executive meeting this coming Monday.
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With files from Island Morning