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UPDATED: Montgomery drops out in Area F

The election for regional director in Area F next month is now a two-way race.
84149westernstarBruce
Bruce Montgomery won't be running for office in Area F next month after all.

The election for regional director in Area F next month is now a two-way race.

Bruce Montgomery withdrew his nomination papers Thursday afternoon, saying he didn’t want to split the vote with challenger and friend Mike Keegan.

The two are now teaming up against incumbent Ron Mickel.

Montgomery says he didn’t realize when he filed for director that he and Montgomery would both be after the job.

“We basically feel the same way. There was nothing different in our platforms. I’m just against any more taxes or wasteful spending,” he told the Star. “I felt he already had a better campaign going and had worked on it a little longer.”

Montgomery says did some soul searching during a trip to Calgary, and then phoned Keegan to let him know his intention to pull out. “No sense two old dogs fighting for the same bone,” he said.

In a news release, Keegan said he was pleased to have Montgomery on side, and if elected, he would appoint Montgomery as his alternate director.

“With Bruce’s support and knowledge of the Taghum, Sproule Creek, Beasley, and Bonnington areas along with an extensive business background, combined with [my] lifetime residence in the North Shore area, [we] will collectively form the core of a new era team to represent electoral Area F,” Keegan said.

Mickel said he hoped either of his challengers “would have the confidence that their platforms would be enough to defeat me, however that doesn’t appear to be the case.

“I also believe there’s the same backroom politics at play here that were evident in the library referendum,” he added. “I frankly find that disgusting.”