Antle jumps into Liberal leadership race

The Liberal party has confirmed that longtimeparty supporter and organizer Paul Antle is an official candidate for the party's leadership in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Antle's business interests include Newdock, West Mountain Capital Corp. and environmental companies.

He has long been active in Liberal circles, and ran federally in 2006, losing to Conservative Norm Doyle in St. John's East.

Last fall, Antle said he was considering the leadership, but wanted the party to push back a convention to a date closer to the 2015 election.

"It's three years away. That's a long time," Antle said at the time.

Four candidates have already declared their candidacy for the leadership. Interim leader Dwight Ball is competing against businesswoman Cathy Bennett, MHA and former leader Jim Bennett and former MHA Danny Dumaresque, who is also a former party president.

A leadership convention will be held in November.