Robert Mitchell steps down as P.E.I. Liberal leader following byelection loss

Robert Mitchell will be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party of P.E.I. Mitchell made the announcement in a social media post, two days after his byelection loss to Green candidate Tayte Willows in Cornwall-Meadowbank. “Today, with a heavy heart but not a broken one, I am announcing my resignation as leader of the [...]

Robert Mitchell will be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party of P.E.I. Mitchell made the announcement in a social media post, two days after his byelection loss to Green candidate Tayte Willows in Cornwall-Meadowbank. “Today, with a heavy heart but not a broken one, I am announcing my resignation as leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, effective tomorrow, to allow a new leader to take our party into the next election,” Mitchell wrote on Facebook. Mitchell was elected leader of the Liberal party in a convention in October, drawing the votes of over 2,300 members.

In his post, Mitchell said he was proud of his accomplishments as leader, which included rebuilding district associations, achieving “record fundraising” and attracting several new candidates. However, Monday’s byelection loss was the second for Mitchell after he ran unsuccessfully in Georgetown-Pownal in December. Mitchell lost that byelection to Brendan Curran of the Progressive Conservatives.

In an interview with The Guardian, Mitchell said he ran in both byelections on his record as a former cabinet minister in the Wade MacLauchlan government. “I’m here to offer experience and, you know, proven leadership. And I’m not sure that’s what people want – like new and something different, maybe,” Mitchell told The Guardian.

“What I’m offering – or what I’m selling – is not what people are buying.” Mitchell said he is “party before self” and said he would like to see the Liberal party find a leader who will offer voters what they are looking for. When asked whether he might consider running again as an MLA, Mitchell did not appear invested.

“I’ve been the MLA. I’ve been the cabinet ministers. My dream was to be the premier.

And so that’s where that lives and maybe dies, too,” Mitchell said. In his post on Facebook, Mitchell also offered congratulations to Tayte Willows and thanked PC candidate Caley McDonald and NDP candidate Craig Nash for putting their names forward. “I still remember what it felt like the first time I was elected.

It’s an incredible honour and a humbling responsibility. I sincerely wish Tayte every success as she begins this chapter, and I hope she always approaches the role with respect for the people she represents and for the history of our province,” Mitchell said. Mitchell added that his decision was not made this week.

He said he, his wife Bonnie and his family had decided months ago that he would “give everything I had to the Cornwall-Meadowbank byelection” and that the vote would determine his political future. More to come...