Overview
- OneBC announced that Chapman will not run in Surrey South and described the decision as mutual, citing months of strain and concerns for family and security.
- The party said Chapman and former BC Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay faced a “torrent of threats and abuse” from Conservative Party insiders, an allegation that has not been independently verified.
- Chapman was the incumbent MLA after a 2024 win and crossed the floor from the BC Conservatives to OneBC following Findlay’s resignation.
- Megan Knight, the mayor of White Rock, is now the BC Conservative candidate in Surrey South and CentreBC’s Elenore Sturko is also running, changing the local contest dynamic.
- Right-leaning outlets and left-leaning outlets have both reported the withdrawal while noting different emphases: some focus on Chapman’s allegations of insider threats and others on the immediate electoral impact in a riding once held comfortably by the Conservatives.