Skeena - Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen has ruled out switching from federal politics to the provincial scene to seek the leadership of the BC NDP.
Cullen made the announcement through his Facebook page on the afternoon of Nov. 8, saying there is much more to be done in Ottawa.
"I believe that I must complete the work that was started by Jack Layton and continued with the leadership of Tom Mulcair to help build Canada's first federal New Democratic government," he wrote.
"I will continue to do all I can to stop Stephen Harper's regressive plans for Canada and British Columbia - stripping environmental laws, the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, the tearing of the social safety net to name a few. BC will be one of the key battlegrounds in the 2015 federal election. I want to do all I can to help create a national government we can feel proud of."
Cullen, who finished third in the federal NDP leadership race, was seen by many as a strong contender to replace Adrian Dix.
"I have been humbled and inspired by the calls, posts and many conversations over the last number of weeks and believe firmly that all the elements exist for our party to renew itself in British Columbia to form government in 2017," he said of the party's future.