John Abbott, with 5 MHAs at his side, proves he's not alone in his bid for Liberal leadership

Terry Roberts · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 12:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

John Abbott whitethorn not person the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party machinery successful his country arsenic helium contends for the leadership, but the St. John's East-Quidi Vidi MHA proved this week that his competitor, John Hogan, is not the lone 1 with high-profile support.

Abbott entered the scrum country extracurricular the House of Assembly connected Wednesday with 5 Liberal MHAs — 3 of whom are members of Premier Andrew Furey's cabinet — astatine his broadside successful bid to code the assembled media who were covering proceedings successful the legislature.

In a highly politicized event, each MHA — Lisa Dempster, Scott Reid, Sarah Stoodley, Perry Trimper and Lucy Stoyles — stepped up to the microphone and gave their endorsement to Abbott. They praised him for his argumentation expertise, acquisition arsenic a nationalist servant and elected politician, thrifty attack to nationalist spending and his team-first benignant of decision-making.

But it turns retired that Abbott was breaching House of Assembly protocol by staging an lawsuit linked to enactment authorities wrong what's known arsenic the parliamentary precinct.

"The House of Assembly was unaware of the scrum country being utilized for that intent and would not person approved the usage of the parliamentary precinct successful advance," Bobbi Russell, a spokesperson for the House of Assembly, wrote successful a connection to CBC News.

She added that Speaker Derek Bennett "will beryllium speaking to the subordinate to counsel of the protocols for usage of the precinct."

'Delighted to enactment him'

So an effort to amusement helium is simply a superior campaigner successful the contention to regenerate Furey didn't spell rather arsenic planned, but if the attack was to inquire for forgiveness alternatively of permission, Abbott got the attraction helium was looking for with complimentary comments similar this:

"I'm precise impressed with his knowledge, particularly each the enactment helium did with housing. I'm surely delighted to enactment him," said Stoyles, who represents Mount Pearl North.

"We person talked done galore tangly, challenging issues and we've ever been capable to find a resolution," added Dempster, representing Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair. 

Dempster said that she has worked with Abbott successful her capableness arsenic the curate for Labrador affairs, and "whether it was Nain successful the north, whether it was Forteau in the south, I was ever truly impressed with his knowledge."

"If you're successful, I cognize this state is going to beryllium successful large shape," said Trimper, MHA for Lake Melville.

Reid, elected successful St. George's-Humber, praised Abbott for his "knowledge, temperament and character."

From zero to five

In 2020, Abbott competed unsuccessfully for the enactment leadership against Furey, and did not person a azygous MHA successful his corner.

His existent bid for the enactment besides got disconnected to a low-key commencement erstwhile helium announced his candidacy connected March 4 successful the lobby of Confederation Building. Only a fistful of supporters were successful attendance, but Abbott did accidental astatine the clip that immoderate MHAs were supporting him.

By contrast, Windsor Lake MHA John Hogan staged a well-attended and lively enactment announcement astatine a St. John's edifice connected March 6 that was attended by a bevy of Liberal MHAs, who voiced unwavering enactment for his candidacy, elder governmental staffers from Furey's office and different influential Liberal organizers.

Abbott admitted that he's not astir "gloss and glare."

"Assuming I americium premier on May 3, you volition spot a antithetic benignant of authorities successful that sense, but we'll enactment focused," helium said, adding that issues specified arsenic the commercialized warfare with the United States, health, lodging and acquisition are among his apical priorities.

Mount Scio MHA Sarah Stoodley said making a determination connected who she would propulsion her enactment down was "one of the astir emotionally hard decisions" of her clip successful politics. But, she said, enactment for Abbott among her constituents is "overwhelming," and says she's been impressed with him.

"He conscionable gets chopped done the sound and works toward a solution," she said, adding that she agrees with Abbott's attack to "fiscal restraint."

"I bash spot myself and Minister Abbott sharing a batch of commonalities."

Both Abbott and Hogan person been approved arsenic enactment candidates by the committee that's moving the contest.

The deadline for nominations is March 24, and registered Liberals volition prime the adjacent enactment leader — who volition automatically go the adjacent premier — during a normal successful St. John's that begins connected May 2.

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