Trent Wotherspoon enters race for Sask. NDP leadership

The leadership race for the Saskatchewan New Democrat Party appears to now have its second candidate.

Trent Wotherspoon announced on Twitter Wednesday that he will be entering the race to become the party’s next leader.

This will be the second time Wotherspoon has run for the leadership role, being edged out by Cam Broten and Ryan Meili in 2013. Meili previously made an announcement in May regarding his plans to run for the party’s leadership.

Broten became party leader but stepped down following a loss in the April 2016 provincial election. Wotherspoon took over as interim leader for more than a year before stepping down in June 2017 when he indicated interest in running for leader.

his came after he had indicated in the past he wasn’t interested in the job.

Addressing media on the front steps of the Legislature Wednesday morning, Wotherspoon answered the question of what changed.

“I’ve changed my mind through this process. I’m motivated about what we can build in our province and I’m not going to stand by and watch our province be dismantled,” he said, referring to decisions made by the Sask. Party.

“I was in a very different place and time and that’s where I was at,” he continued, adding his family is in a good spot, garnering support from his wife on trying to become leader.

Wotherspoon clarified he has not officially entered the race yet. At this time he’s only making his intentions known.

Wotherspoon said in the coming weeks he would collect the required number of signatures and formalize his bid.