Pascale Dry seeks Conservative nomination in Mount-Royal

A high-profile candidate has joined the race to run for the Conservatives in the riding of Mount-Royal.

Former TVA journalist Pascale Dry is seeking the nomination for the next federal election.

She officially launched her campaign on Wednesday.

She is looking to replace Irwin Cotler, the longtime MP for Mount-Royal who announced he would retire after his current term.

If Dry wins the Conservative nomination, Dry could be stiff competition for the Liberal nominee, CteSt-Luc mayor Anthony Housefather.

Blaney lends support

Dry gave up her job as a journalist with TVA to make the leap into politics, and has so far earned the support of Quebec cabinet minister Steven Blaney.

"Pascale embodies a new generation. She [] has great skills in communicating,"Blaney said.

Dry will face off against newspaper editor Beryl Wajsman and anglo-rights activist Robert Libman for the Conservative nomination.

Mount-Royal, a riding with a large Jewish population, has consistently voted Liberal for the better part of a century.

But supporters like Sonia Peillon hope Dry is the one to break through.

Dry is a young Jewish trilingual woman, and some hope the stark contrast between her and her two male competitors could give her the edge she needs to win.

"We are Liberals since the day we came here we live in Cte St-Luc and thats all we knew. But now everything is changing,"Peillon said.