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David Gough
Reposted from Courier Press
Former Lambton-Kent District School Board Director of Education Gayle Stucke is seeking the federal Liberal nomination for the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding.
Stucke retired as director in June after a long career in education. She said running for office was something she never considered until she was approached a few months ago.
"I was quite enjoying retirement. I wasn't bored," Stucke said, noting she was travelling and taking part in a few home renovation projects.
The Wallaceburg resident said she has always been interested in politics, but has never been involved in party politics or even been a member of a political party before.
When first approached about running, Stucke said she was honoured, but turned down the possibility. When she was asked a second time, Stucke decided to look into it.
"Like anything I've done in my life I researched it," Stucke said. The former educator said she spoke to a number of current MPs and MPPs about campaigns and experiences and she became more and more intrigued the more she talked and heard from others. In her research Stucke also studied Liberal policies and positions. After her research and talking with her family, Stucke decided seeking the Liberal candidacy would be a good venture to take on.
"It seemed like a door opening that I never would have expected to open and so I should take advantage and try it," Stucke said. She said it will be a steep learning curve ahead for her, but everything she is learning is confirming that it's the right move for her.
A big challenge for Stucke will be getting a foothold in Strathroy. Lambton-Kent-Middlesex is a broad mostly rural riding with two major centres –Wallaceburg and Strathroy—that are about an hour apart.
"Strathroy and Middlesex is where I have my work cut out for me because my name isn't known there and I've already begun that."
Liberal riding president Mike Ferguson said Stucke is currently going through the green light process by the Liberal party. Ferguson said that once Stucke is approved to run for the nomination, a nomination meeting is likely to be called. A nomination meeting will be called before Easter, Ferguson said.
He said Stucke is so far the only person who has put their name forward for the nomination. Two previous candidates who put their names forward --Emery Huszka and Ken Filson, both withdrew to run in municipal elections last October.
If Stucke is successful is grabbing the Liberal nomination, she would likely face an election battle with incumbent Conservative MP Bev Shipley.
No other political parties in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex have updated the Courier Press with their nomination selections.
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