Tories push on election readiness and prep slate of candidates

Newfoundland and Labrador's Progressive Conservatives are readying up for an inevitable election,closing nominations in three electoral districts and opening nominations in four more on Tuesday.

The seats listed so farare currently held by elected PC MHAs.

On Tuesday, the party closed nominations in Cape St. Francis, Conception Bay South and Topsail-Paradise. Each MHA will be seeking re-election, with the party putting forward Joedy Wall, Barry Petten and Paul Dinn respectively.

The party also opened nominations in the districts of Exploits, Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans, Stephenville-Port au Port and Torngat Mountains. Those seats are held by Pleaman Forsey, Chris Tibbs, PC Leader Tony Wakeham and Lela Evans.

A provincial election must be held byOct. 20, 2025, at the latest, according to the province's fixed-date election laws, but there isn't anything stopping Liberal Premier Andrew Furey from calling an election sooner.

Wakeham has been vocal aboutbeing ready for an election whenever it inevitably getscalled,telling CBC News he was "ready to rumble" in October.

A fall election is very unlikely, but Furey didn't rule out a campaign anytime after that when speaking with CBCNews in October.

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