Terahertz

While last night’s debate was a good introduction to each of the BCNDP candidates, I’m still somewhat left with a dilemma in my choice.

Do I want to choose the candidate I most support and agree with, or do I choose the candidate who I think is most likely to win the next election?

This dilemma is complicated by the fact that their platforms are far more similar than dissimilar, and I find myself agreeing with most of what they all tend to say.

While I still have a month or so to decide, it’s worth laying out where the candidates stand in my mind right now. In order of appearance last night:

Nicholas Simons

I really like Simons. He has great ideas and speaks to evidence/science-based policy. He also has strong support for the gay community and I have my suspicions that he’s also a strong secularist. However, he’s a bit less charismatic than the others and speaks a bit softer. I worry that the media would ignore him like they did with Carole James (who I tended to disagree with more on policy, e.g. “axe the tax”).

Dana Larsen

He’s an idealist and I like that. His platform’s the most thorough and revolutionary. He’s also a dynamic and eloquent speaker. However, I can just picture the media’s field-day with the pot-crusader at the helm and with no experience as an MLA, he’d be even more of a liability.

John Horgan

I’m still undecided on Horgan. He seems genuine but pragmatic. He’s not the most bold of the speakers, but he can hold his own. He seems like the most social networked candidate, which scores some points.

Mike Farnworth

Probably among the two frontrunners, Farnworth is a strong and eloquent speaker and he had many policies I support. He’s not the most radical, but that probably would help him in an election.

Adrian Dix

The other frontrunner and he’s a fighter. I can see him being the biggest threat to Christy Clark, and he’d control any debate. However, he seems to tied to the party as an institution, whereas I see the NDP as a vessel that can be used to advance intelligent and progressive solutions to our problems. I worry that he’d emphasize party loyalty over progress and could be a liability. He also seemed to think its okay if the party rules invade on rights because the rules are set by democratically elected representatives. This concerns me since some rights should be untouchable, even from elected officials.

Conclusion

I don’t have a firm position yet. The BC NDP hasn’t announced how its going to run the vote, but I’m hoping for a preferential ballot. At least I still have time to sort things out.

Any thoughts and suggestions?