Columbia River–Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald said he will not be running for NDP leadership, and would support Mike Farnworth should he choose to run in the race to replace Adrian Dix as leader.

“I thought Adrian did a fantastic job but I also thought Mike would have been great and I haven’t changed that view,” Mr. Macdonald told the Revelstoke Times Review. “He’s very capable. The things he talks about will resonate with people in our area. If he decides to put his name forward, I will offer my support.”

Mr. Dix announced on Wednesday that he was resigning as leader of the B.C. NDP, but would stay on until a new leader was found.

Mr. Macdonald said the announcement wasn’t a surprise. He called Mr. Dix “the smartest guy in the room” and said the NDP had been very effective in the house with Dix as the leader.

“There was no question with Adrian we had somebody who was very bright and very hard working and would have been a wonderful Premier,” said Mr. Macdonald, but, he added, the NDP needed to have a leader who could make up the voting gap with the Liberals.

“We are talking about three or four per cent difference between the Liberals and the NDP and that’s a difference we need to make up.”

Contributed by Alex Cooper of the Revelstoke Times Review