▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁will ▁not ▁contest ▁the ▁election ▁and ▁end ors ed ▁Card y ' s ▁candid acy . ▁ ▁The ▁Liber als ▁chose ▁retired ▁police ▁officer ▁and ▁clean ▁water ▁activ ist ▁John ▁Wil co x ▁as ▁their ▁candidate ▁over ▁business man ▁Bill ▁Gul liver ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 8 1 ▁to ▁ 4 9 . ▁ ▁Sh aron ▁Mur phy ▁is ▁the ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Green ▁Party ▁candidate ▁and ▁Mar jor ie ▁Mac M ur ray ▁is ▁running ▁as ▁an ▁independent . ▁ ▁Iss ues ▁▁ ▁Early ▁media ▁coverage ▁of ▁the ▁race ▁foc uss ed ▁on ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁appointment ▁of ▁Margaret - An n ▁Blan ey ▁as ▁CE O ▁of ▁E ffic iency ▁New ▁Brun sw ick , ▁a ▁crown ▁corpor ation . ▁Several ▁prominent ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv atives ▁back ed ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁issue ▁with ▁Fin ance ▁Minister ▁Bla ine ▁H ig gs ▁dem urr ing ▁" it ' s ▁certainly ▁inc umb ent ▁on ▁me , ▁and ▁it ' s ▁inc umb ent ▁on ▁my ▁colle agues , ▁to ▁respect ▁the ▁decision ▁that ▁the ▁premier ▁makes ," ▁and ▁PC ▁candidate ▁Hugh ▁John ▁" T ed " ▁F lem ming ▁III ▁stating ▁" I ▁wasn ' t ▁there ." ▁Premier ▁David ▁Al ward , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁her ▁appointment ▁said ▁" I ▁have ▁full ▁confidence ▁that ▁I ▁have ▁the ▁best ▁person ▁for ▁the ▁job ," ▁and ▁Blan ey ▁noted ▁that ▁her ▁motiv ation ▁for ▁taking ▁the ▁post ▁arose ▁in ▁part ▁from ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁spend ▁more ▁time