No one confirmed, but a few seriously considering bid to be next P.E.I. PC leader

It's been more than three weeks since Progressive Conservative MLA James Aylward announced he was stepping down as leader of the PC Party.

The party has yet to announce details around the search for a replacement, and no one has officially thrown their hat into the ring.

But lots of names are circulating through the rumour mill, and three people contacted by CBC News confirmed they were seriously considering entering the race.

Dennis King

Dennis King has a long history with the PC Party, and was once communications director for the last PC premier on P.E.I. Pat Binns.

More recently, he's been a writer, performer, a spokesperson for the seafood industry on P.E.I. and a member of the Island Morning political panel.

"Like everybody else I had not really been thinking about this topic until a couple of weeks ago," King told CBC News.

"In the current state of our political system and style I think most people do not feel like they are part of it. This needs to change. I'd like to think my potential entry into the fray could be a further catalyst for that significant change."

Sarah Stewart-Clark

Sarah Stewart-Clark has already been nominated to run for the party in District 9 Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park in the next provincial election.

"Seeking the leadership is something I'm giving serious consideration to due to the number of Islanders who are asking me to be their voice," she told CBC News via Facebook message.

"Now more than ever, Islanders are seeking leaders with integrity and whose motivations are to serve in the best interests of all Islanders."

Stewart-Clark is a professor in the faculty of agriculture at Dalhousie University. She's become an advocate for improved mental-health services for Islanders.

Kevin Arsenault

Kevin Arsenault is the former head of the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada.

Currently he's a market gardener, and he maintains a blog critical of the P.E.I. government's record on controversial issues such as e-gaming and the provincial nominee program.

"I've worked closely with our opposition PC MLAs on numerous issues over the past couple of years, and I'm genuinely impressed with the integrity and dedication of this team," Arsenault recently posted on his Facebook page.

"Now I'm thinking: 'I can be the leader they need to build the party, replace the corrupt Liberal government, and give Islanders a government with true integrity and vision.'"

In 2016 Arsenault launched an unsuccessful court action trying to get the provincial government to stop paying for out-of-province abortions.

The PCs have not disclosed what criteria would have to be met by any leadership hopefuls or what costs they might have to pay to enter the race.  A spokesperson for the PC party said details on the leadership process could be released later this week.

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