A familiar name is about to enter the race for mayor of London.
Sources tell 980 CFPL that former Conservative MP Ed Holder will enter the race for mayor. He’s expected to make the announcement at Innovation Works on Thursday at 11:30 a.m.
Holder has been out of politics since he was defeated in the 2015 federal election by current Liberal MP Kate Young in London West. Holder announced his intention to run for the Progressive Conservative nomination in London West in the provincial election last October but decided against it after Patrick Brown stepped down as leader.
Holder has spent the past month preparing for his mayoral run, meeting with supporters and possible donors. Holder and a few trusted advisors huddled on Friday to prepare for his official entry to the race.
The former federal MP joins a crowded field vying to replace Mayor Matt Brown, who announced in April he wouldn’t run for re-election.
Holder will be the 12th candidate to enter the mayor’s race.
The candidates for mayor includes Ward 13 councillor Tanya Park who decided to enter the race a week after Brown’s decision, despite previously announcing she wouldn’t run for re-election. Paul Cheng, the 2014 runner-up to Brown, was among the first to enter the race in May, as was Paul Paolatto, the former budget chair for the London Police Services Board.
Former councillor Stephen Orser, a member of the so-called ‘Fontana 8,’ named after the voting bloc created by former mayor Joe Fontana, has also announced a run for the top job. He was ousted in 2014 in ward 4 by Jesse Helmer. Orser has kept an extremely low profile since announcing his plan to run for mayor.
Dan Lenart, who has twice run for mayor in 2010 and 2014, and received less than 0.5% of the vote both times, is again on the ballot.
Holder’s decision to throw his hat into the ring bolsters a mayor’s race that was lacking name recognition.
“In municipal politics, name recognition is a big deal and that’s his main advantage,” said Andrew Sancton, the former head of Western University’s local government program.
But Holder might experience a challenge overcoming his association to the Conservatives, explained Sancton.
“He’s got to appeal to a lot of other people,” he said. “Start off by not having blue and white signs, if you’re a Conservative in Canada. You don’t give any indication that you’re working from a particular party perspective, and you keep constantly saying you want to work for everyone.”
While Holder has no previous municipal government experience, he has extensive experience at the federal level. Holder was first elected federally in London West in 2008, unseating longtime Liberal MP Sue Barnes by 2,100 votes. He easily won re-election in 2011 and was named Minister of State for Science and Technology in 2014 before he was defeated in the 2015 election.
Following his election defeat, Holder worked to promote trade between Canada and Saudi Arabia and was the first chairperson of the Canada-Saudi Business Council.
Before entering politics he was the president of Stevenson & Hunt Insurance Brokers and served on the board of the London Chamber of Commerce. Holder has a long history of community service, running the Business Cares Food Drive and volunteering with the Rotary Club of London, the United Way, St. John Ambulance and co-chairing the annual Rockin’ New Year’s Eve event in Victoria Park.
Candidates have until July 27 to make a decide whether or not to run in the municipal election.
Londoners go to the polls Oct 22.