CHESTER - A three-time Liberal candidate won't try a fourth time.
Derek Wells, who held the South Shore riding for the grits from 1993-1997, said it's time someone else in the party tried for the seat.
The 57 year old said there was no one reason for his decision.
"I feel that having run three times, having lost twice, it's time to give somebody else a chance to contest the South Shore," he said last week.
"From the point of view of my business and my family, I don't feel it's the right time. My business is doing well and I don't feel this is a good time to simply leave it."
Mr. Wells, who practices law in Chester, knocked off Tory cabinet minister Peter McCreath in 1993 but critics believe Mr. Wells' support of Bill C-68 played a major part in his defeat to Gerald Keddy in 1997.
Mr. Wells tried to regain his seat in 2000 but lost to Mr. Keddy a second time.
"One of the reasons I'm announcing now is because a number of people who are interested [in the candidacy] indicated they didn't want to announce until they heard what I was doing," Mr. Wells said without disclosing names.
But sources told this newspaper that there are four names making the rounds in the political rumour mill - Lunenburg Mayor Laurence Mawhinney, South Shore Liberal president John Chandler, former political adviser Kirk Cox and former party president Lloyd Campbell.
Mr. Wells plans to work for the eventual successful South Shore-St. Margarets candidate and will play a major part in the Nova Scotia campaign. Campaign manager Jim Cowan has appointed him chairman of policy development.
"It was a very tough decision," Mr. Wells added, saying his family supported him in his decision.
"I loved being the MP."