Conservative MP Jake Stewart says he won't run in upcoming election

Jacques Poitras · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 06, 2025 7:37 AM EST | Last Updated: March 6

Miramichi-Grand Lake Conservative MP Jake Stewart volition not beryllium a campaigner successful the national predetermination expected to beryllium called soon, Stewart announced successful a societal media station Thursday.

Stewart wrote that arsenic helium enters his 18th twelvemonth successful electoral politics, "I person travel to recognize the toll it's taken connected my household and my health. Therefore, I volition not beryllium re-offering successful the upcoming election."

Stewart has not responded to an interrogation request.

The first-term MP's announcement follows disapproval by Conservatives successful the riding, including two-time national campaigner Mike Morrison.

Morrison told CBC News past week that helium doubted Stewart could triumph the riding again due to the fact that of feuds betwixt Stewart and erstwhile staffers and enactment volunteers.

The fiscal cause for the Miramichi-Grand Lake Conservative riding relation resigned successful January, citing a "toxic and manipulative atmosphere" successful Stewart's office.

In January, a House of Commons lawyer sent Morrison's lad Shawn, who had worked connected Stewart's office, a cease-and-desist letter, telling him to halt contacting Stewart's woman and his office.

His riding bureau connected the King George Highway was besides closed for respective weeks, with a motion successful the model saying it was for "security reasons."

Stewart had already been nominated arsenic the Conservative campaigner for the national predetermination that could beryllium called arsenic aboriginal arsenic adjacent week.

Fredericton-Grand Lake Progressive Conservative MLA Kris Austin told CBC News helium whitethorn effort to tally arsenic the national campaigner successful Stewart's place.

"I was rather amazed astatine the news, but arsenic a result, it's thing that I americium considering, and I'm putting immoderate thought into present implicit the adjacent time oregon two," helium said.

Austin said he'd received "several" telephone calls and substance messages encouraging him to tally since Stewart's announcement. 

It's not wide what process the enactment volition usage to take a caller candidate, fixed the abbreviated timeline.

Kelly Wilson, the president of the enactment riding association, did not respond to a petition for remark Thursday morning. 

Kevin Price, the New Brunswick typical connected the national Conservative Party's nationalist council, said helium would not remark connected Stewart's decision.

Lisa Harris, who ran arsenic the national Liberal campaigner against Stewart successful 2021 and mislaid by less than 1,500 votes, announced past week she'll question her party's information again.

She said Stewart's troubles played nary relation successful her decision.

"Jake Stewart has thing to bash with maine wanting to correspond this fantastic community," she said successful an interview.

But she added that with the U.S. tariff menace looming implicit the economy, she believes she tin correspond residents  "in a mode that they merit to beryllium represented. … Constituents merit to person an MP who is with them each the time, that they tin find, [with] an bureau that is open."

Stewart was a Blackville municipal councillor and past served arsenic a provincial MLA for 11 years earlier resigning successful 2021 to tally federally. 

He was 1 of the archetypal MPs to endorse Pierre Poilievre to pb the enactment successful 2022 and was appointed caucus committee co-ordinator, portion of the enactment team, erstwhile Poilievre took over.

As a provincial member, helium ran for the enactment of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick successful 2016 and was curate of aboriginal affairs successful the Blaine Higgs authorities from 2018 to 2020.

Stewart said successful his Facebook station connected Thursday that being a person was "incredibly hard for your household these days," and helium thanked his woman Shannon and his 4 children for their support.

"I privation you to cognize I person fixed my precise champion to section causes and I americium everlastingly grateful for each your enactment implicit the years from municipal done provincial to national politics," Stewart wrote.

"I sincerely anticipation to person made a real, impactful quality successful our community."