Will Coleman run for mayor of Surrey?

Opinion poll shows Liberal MLA could handily win office, but electoral battle would be no cakewalk

Liberal MLA Rich Coleman held a series of meetings this week with key supporters in Surrey as he ponders a possible bid to be the city’s mayor.

But Coleman insists he has made no decision about his future.

At least not yet.

“There are a lot of things to consider,” Coleman told me. “There are a lot factors after doing this for 22 years. I’m not rushing into anything.”

He flatly denied an online rumour that he had already told the Liberal caucus at the B.C. legislature that he’s quitting provincial politics to run for mayor.

“Wrong,” Coleman said. “We haven’t even had a caucus meeting.”

But the Liberal caucus is scheduled to meet next week, and Coleman is under pressure to make up his mind to seek the top job in Surrey or stay on as the long-serving MLA for Langley East.

A key factor that could tilt his decision: An opinion poll showing he could handily win the mayor’s office.

Sources tell me Coleman’s supporters hired veteran pollster Greg Lyle of Innovative Research Group to measure his civic support. The poll asked Surrey voters to rank Coleman’s name recognition and reputation against Tom Gill, Bruce Hayne, Mike Starchuk and Dave Woods — all incumbent city councillors pondering a bid to replace outgoing Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner.

The result: Coleman scored better than all of them, creating a key decision point for the former B.C. solicitor general.

Surrey First — the powerful governing municipal party at Surrey City Hall — is set to nominate a candidate for mayor Friday, with Gill considered a front-runner. He is a prominent councillor from Surrey’s large Indo-Canadian community and could do well with South Asian voters.

But I’m told Coleman has lined up South Asian supporters too, and could challenge Gill as an independent candidate for mayor.

Despite all that, it would be no cakewalk for Coleman, who would have to defend his outsider status, not to mention a spotty Liberal record in the city. Coleman would have to convince Surrey voters to support someone for mayor who doesn’t even live in their city (though Langley isn’t far away).

One thing he wouldn’t have to worry about, though, is letting down the Liberal side in Langley, where the party would easily elect another MLA in a byelection.

And fellow Liberals might actually like the idea of him running for mayor. If he won, and turned out to be popular and effective, it could help the Liberals win back Surrey seats from the NDP in the next provincial election.

All eyes are on Coleman. Next week will be interesting.