Dan Davies wins Liberal nomination in Peace River North

In a battle of councillor versus mayor in B.C.’s north, the councillor won.

Fort St. John councillor Dan Davies won the BC Liberal party nomination for Peace River North today, defeating Fort St. John mayor Lori Ackerman for the spot.

Ackerman, who has been mayor of Fort St. John since 2011, had the higher name recognition and was considered a potential star candidate for the region. She announced she would be seeking the nomination immediately after two-term Liberal MLA Pat Pimm said last November he would not be running in the 2017 provincial election.

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But Davies, who only announced his candidacy six weeks ago, pushed the idea of opening a constituency office in Fort Nelson that would be open a couple days each week.

Both Davies and Ackerman ran and lost to Pimm for the party’s nomination in 2009.

A large riding encompassing the northeast corner of B.C., Peace River North has only elected right-wing candidates since it was created prior to the 1956 election. The NDP have never received more than a third of the vote.

Prior to Pimm, who is a Conservative Party member, it was held by Conservative Party Senator Richard Neufeld from 1991 to 2009, where he was elected as a Social Credit (1991), Reform (1996) and BC Liberal Party MLA (2001, 2005).