These 3 political rookies want to rep Terra Nova-The Peninsulas. Here's what they stand for

There are over 76,000 votes to earn in Terra Nova-The Peninsulas, a riding that includes Bonavista, Clarenville and Marystown.

And there are three candidates, each of them new to politics, to split that vote.

Formerly Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, the old Liberal incumbent, Churence Rogers, is stepping down, and that's making way for several new faces.

CBC News spoke with contenders across the province about their political chops, passions and platforms ahead of election day on April 28.

These are the candidates for Terra Nova-The Peninsulas:

Anthony Germain, Liberal Party

Another former local journalist is trying his hand at politics in this election.

Along with fellow Liberal candidate Don Bradshaw on Newfoundland's west coast, Germain — formerly a radio and television host with CBC News — has been knocking on doors in his riding, introducing himself not as a journalist but as a potential representative in the House of Commons.

He only decided to throw his hat in the ring six weeks ago, he says, after watching U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

U.S.-Canada relations are at the top of the list of issues he's now hearing, alongside worries over the cost of living — a common theme throughout the province.

On the issue of economic diversification, Germain supports a balanced approach.

"I think there's a real opportunity for Newfoundland to be a leader in both clean and conventional energy," Germain said, noting that while wind energy has high potential, it's also a divisive topic among the people he's spoken with.

"The United States has been shattered. We need to do everything we can to support industries, whether it's natural gas and oil, mining, all of those industries, which maybe we would have taken a different look at seven months ago. Everything has changed now," he said.

"Trump and his antics is what got me involved in this. But I'm trying to stay positive and look at what Mark Carney is promising to try to build in a stronger Canada."

Although Germain sees a variety of opinions on natural resources among constituents, the need for housing is one thing they're all agreeing on.

"Mark Carney has promised to build 500,000 new houses a year, right? … My job as an MP is to make sure that all of those houses don't get built in Toronto and Montreal and Ottawa, and that they remember that there is a housing situation in this province as well," he said.

"I'm hoping if I'm elected, that there will be other Liberals in Newfoundland and Labrador who'll be part of an Atlantic caucus who will be telling Mark Carney, 'Hey, this is not just a mainland issue. This is a Newfoundland [and] Labrador issue too.'"

Liam Ryan, New Democratic Party

Liam Ryan, the NDP candidate for the riding, isn't yet out of university, but has been picturing this campaign since he was a kid, watching Jack Layton on the news.

And the 21-year-old isn't shy about where his allegiance lies.

"People rag on the NDP federally all the time, but new New Democrats are the ones who are going to fight for you in Parliament and in caucus," Ryan said.

"I think that we provide the best choice for working ordinary Canadians that aren't going to benefit big corporations, and really just kind of focus on local issues that people want resolved."

Among those local issues, for Ryan, is more help for both the young and old. 

"Transportation and meal services for seniors, housing — rent-controlled housing. Pharmacare is a huge one," he said.

"The cost of living for everyone in this country has gone really out of control, and it bothers me to see Canadians being price-gouged at every single step. Nearly every industry is … taking advantage of working people, and I think [that] programs like the GST cuts and GIS increases … are really going to benefit people in the [face of] economic hardships."

With economic diversity front of mind in this election, Ryan and Germain agree that wind energy could be a boon for the riding, despite its controversy.

"I think we just need to do it right. We need to consult with people in communities involved and we need to make sure that the end benefit of this energy production is going to go to the people in the communities, and jobs are going to be created for them," he said.

He also wants to see federal money funnelled directly to provinces to aggressively build more homes.

"There's some programs that the NDP has pitched, such as the Canada Homes Transfer Fund, [that makes] more funding available to municipalities and provinces that build these type of homes for people," he says.

"It's going to take the financial burden off of everyone if they can live in comfortable and affordable homes."

Jonathan Rowe, Conservative Party

Jonathan Rowe's official profile on the Conservative Party website pegs him as an oil and gas industry alumnus who currently works as an engineer with the provincial government.

"Jonathan intends to go to Ottawa to continue his fight for the people, with ambitions to lower the cost of living, support our natural resource economy, and preserve our environment and culture, all while standing up for our Canadian freedoms," his biography reads.

Rowe has ignored the CBC's repeated requests for an interview. 

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