And it looks like the BC Liberals have two righties warming up in the bull pen

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His party has the support of 23% of decided voters polled, compared to the 46% for the provincial NDP. It’s almost all about the HST and Mr. Campbell’s perceived deceit. --The telling numbers of BC Liberal woe from an Angus Reid poll, as relayed by the National Post. 

We're not sure if this is a trial balloon or if the National Post has some inside baseball on the behind the scenes angst of the provincial Liberals these days, but with the post Olympic euphoria past and the bill clicking ever so close to the billion dollar mark along with the much discussed and quite loathed HST now part of British Columbia's daily lifestyle, we suddenly have two potential leadership candidates getting some high profile exposure.

Last Friday the National Post examined the potential leadership runs of Dianne Watts, currently the Mayor of Surrey and Carole Taylor, former Campbell cabinet colleague who served as his finance minister back in the days when things like the HST and the return of Bill Vander Zalm to popularity were beyond the comprehension of the Liberals.

Times alas change, and like a passenger who chose to get off the boat before the iceberg hit, Ms. Taylor has come out of her time in government looking pretty good. Her budgets were never as controversial as the recent efforts of her replacement Mr. Hansen and the weighty stone of political damage known as the HST is just not on her dance card.

The other proposed contender, Dianne Watts has been holding a steady hand on the levers of government in Surrey for two terms now, under her watch Surrey has broken the yoke of the one time litany of jokes.

And while there are still some trouble areas in the sprawling suburban city, her attempts to clean up some of the unsavoury parts of the northern reaches have had success and the idea of settling in Surrey no longer seems like a last resort destination for Greater Vancouver residents, at least judging by the ever increasing population numbers over the last six years.

While not as political experienced as Taylor, she may be a favourite for those that don't forgive and forget that the former Finance Minister left while the getting was good.

Politics as they say is all in the timing, and with the growing anger directed towards the Premier for any number of issues, but primarily at the moment over the HST, many are feeling that his political expiry date comes up in 2011.

That would allow a leadership winner two years to refine the message, eliminate the bad karma and redirect energies towards yet another four years in Victoria.

The Post has picked its candidates, it will be interesting to see if they have their finger on the political fortunes should the Premier accommodate them with a leave taking.