And the race is on...

So Calvert has finally announced that he is stepping down and so the speculation begins:

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While some recent candidates and current caucus members including Deb Higgins (Moose Jaw Wakamow), Cam Broten (Saskatoon Massey Place), Len Taylor (The Battlefords) and Yens Pedersen (unsuccessful candidate in Regina South) are said to be among those who may vie for Calvert's job, the attention is likely to shift to former NDP premier Dwain Lingenfelter who retired from Saskatchewan politics in 2000 to pursue a job as vice-president with the Calgary-based oil company Nexen Inc.

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The paper lists these people on Thursday, and then on Friday:

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One contender well-positioned to make the case for youth, 30-year-old Saskatoon Massey Place MLA Cam Broten, took himself out of the race Friday.

But former finance minister Andrew Thomson, 41, who did not run for re-election in 2007, said he's actively considering a run.

[snip]

He also dismissed the critique of Saskatoon Meewasin MLA Frank Quennell, himself mulling a run, who noted Thursday that Lingenfelter likely has "higher unfavourables than most potential candidates."

[snip]

Meanwhile, Nettie Wiebe, who ran for the leadership in 2001 when Calvert was victorious, said she had not ruled out another run but it needs time for consideration after her narrow loss in Tuesday's federal election in Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar.

[snip]

But Regina lawyer Dion Tchorzewski, son of the late NDP icon Ed Tchorzewski, said Thursday he's heard the pitch of those seeking generational change and is considering a run.

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So the List looks like this so far (according to the media:)

Deb Higgins
Cam Broten
Len Taylor
Yens Peterson
Dwain Lingenfelter
Andrew Thompson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski

If even half of those people ran (and I would be surprised if there wasn't someone who ends up running that the media overlooked) that would be a great race. Women, Men, Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Battlefords, Rural, Left, Right, Young, Mature, it's all there.

There is obviously some interesting times ahead.