It is official, *The Speculator *reports, Sam Merulla is running for the NDP in Hamilton East – Stoney Creek.
Personally, I do not think he will win it. He is too polarizing and does not have much popularity outside of his homebase. It is too bad, I believe that Hamilton East needs strong representation and that the NDP was in the best position to offer that.
The other reason this bothers me is that if Merulla loses (as I expect he will), he will lose a lot of influence at City Hall. This will ultimately hurt my home neighborhood.
The part that bothers me the most, however, must be that I had to resign my membership in the Hamilton East – Stoney Creek NDP so I am unable to vote in the nomination contest.
Of course, Sam has matured a lot in the last year as a politician. Back in 2000 when he was first elected, many people (including myself) wrote him off at the start of the campaign. In September (voting was November 13th, I remember that ’cause I voted for myself on that day lol), Merulla spoke to the Hamilton East Kiwanis Boys’ and Girls’ Club Key Club and impressed most of us. It was at that point that I spoke (privately) in favour of him in the community. The point of that story, he may yet surprise me again and he may be able to capture enough votes in Ward 5 and on the western edges of Stoney Creek to carry the riding.