Caroline Elliott open to future MLA run, rules out launching new party

Former BC Conservative leadership candidate Caroline Elliott says she is open to running for elected office in the future.

She made it clear, however, that she has no desire to launch a new political party following her narrow defeat to Kerry-Lynne Findlay.

Speaking on the Without Diminishment podcast with Alexander Brown, Elliott said she has already discussed the possibility of seeking elected office with the BC Conservatives.

"I'm open to it," Elliott said when asked whether she would consider running as an MLA. "I've talked to the new leader about that and mentioned that it's certainly no closed doors in that regard."

Elliott said her focus remains on advancing the issues she championed during the leadership campaign and determining the most effective way to continue advocating for them.

"Does that include running? Yeah, that's on the table for sure," she said.

The comments come less than three weeks after Elliott finished second to Findlay in the BC Conservative leadership race. Findlay secured victory on the fourth ballot by a narrow margin.

During the interview, Elliott also pushed back against rumours that she or her supporters could splinter from the party or attempt to revive a BC Liberal-style political movement.

"No, I'm not," Elliott said when asked whether she was "secretly restarting the BC Liberals."

"I've had one mission in life, my entire adult life, and that is keeping the NDP out of government."

Instead, Elliott called for conservatives to remain united following the leadership race and focus their efforts on defeating the governing BC NDP in the next provincial election.

"I think the party has an obligation, the new leader has an obligation, to say to the full party membership, 'There's a place for you here. You're welcome here. Come be part of this. Help me defeat the NDP,'" she said.

Elliott also argued party members have a responsibility to avoid creating divisions that could benefit the governing party.

"We all know a divided party is the biggest gift we can hand David Eby and the NDP," she said. "They're absolutely praying for it. Let's not give them that gift."

The interview marked Elliott's first extended public comments since the conclusion of the BC Conservative leadership race.