One of Hamilton's Liberal candidates has bailed on her party on the eve of the expected federal election.

Victoria Young, chosen a year and a half ago to carry the Liberal flag in the riding of Hamilton Centre, has left her riding organization scrambling to find an 11th-hour replacement.

Young, a lawyer who lives and practises in Cayuga, says she dropped out for personal reasons.

"It's time to move on to be doing other things, personal and business," Young, 42, said yesterday.

"Life, as it does, takes its twists and turns and so it was a very difficult decision to make, to say that I've done my part for the party and it's time for someone else to pick up the banner and move on."

Young says she began talking about the possibility of pulling out in mid-August.

But Judi Longfield, executive director of the Ontario arm of the federal Liberals, says she only became aware of Young's decision a few days ago.

Longfield says the fatigue of being in a pre-election holding pattern for so long also played a part in Young's decision.

"She really felt that she wanted to give it to someone who had more time and energy at this particular point, but she remains fully committed to the party, the leader and the principles of the Liberal party," Longfield said.

With Prime Minister Stephen Harper expected to call an election this weekend, the Liberals have yet to nominate candidates in 11 of the 106 Ontario ridings.

According to Longfield, Hamilton Centre is now the only one of those 11 without a specific candidate waiting in the wings.

The inner city riding has been held by New Democrat MP David Christopherson since it was formed in 2004 from parts of the old ridings of Hamilton West and Hamilton East.

John Grant, president of the Hamilton Centre Liberal riding association, has his eye on two potential replacements for Young and hopes to have one in place by next week.

Grant declined to give names, but said the most likely contender is a woman.

"I believe she's well known, as far as I know, and is recognized around."

Grant is disappointed Young dropped out.

"She was a good girl; she was out campaigning all the time, door-knocking all the time."

But he doesn't think the withdrawal will hurt his party's chances of winning the riding.

"I don't think it will change anything," Grant said. "I think we do have a good chance."

The federal Liberals, once a powerhouse in Hamilton, don't hold a single seat here now.

Of the city's five seats, the NDP control three, the Conservatives two.

Grant acknowledges that Hamilton Centre has proven to be a tough battleground.

The riding, which runs from Ottawa Street in the east to Highway 403 in the west, also includes a wide swath of the west Mountain.

Christopherson handily defeated veteran Liberal MP Stan Keyes here in 2004 and Liberal Javid Mirza in 2006.

Though the riding is widely seen as an impenetrable NDP stronghold by virtue of Christopherson's personal popularity, Liberal support, nonetheless, still runs deep.

Christopherson remains on the ticket for the NDP.

The Conservatives are fielding Leon O'Connor.

John Livingstone is the Green candidate.

With an election presumably days if not hours away, the Liberals are now under intense pressure to quickly find a new one of their own.

Andrew Dreschel's commentary appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

adreschel@thespec.com

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