Can't spell "Same" without "Sam"

NPA warhorse/councilor Sam Sullivan knocked off Christy Clark for that party's mayoral nomination on Saturday.

Clark made a name for herself as Gordon Campbell's first term go-to girl, and by pissing off BC teachers at every turn as Education Minister. Thinking that she could follow in the footsteps of her former boss and jump from the Vancity Mayor's chair to the Premier's, Christy paid little attention to the fact that her driver's license reads PORT MOODY, nor did she consider recent history: the last NPA golden girl (Jennifer Clarke) led her party straight into the devastation of Hurricane DaVinci.

Sullivan, for being able to put a priority on policy rather than finger pointing photo-ops, is a trade up, but not by much. Having been around the NPA as long as he has, he offers not much more than what's been on the NPA menu for decades: more sucking up to developers, less affordable transit, more financial choking of municipal programs, and midnight squad car rides to Stanley Park for those who don't behave, complete with a little nightstick reflexology.

Sam is a little deluded in thinking the race between him and Clark is good for the NPA, given that Christy's taking her ball and going home to Port Moody. Anybody she brought into the tent won't be inclined to stick around. By contrast, COPE and Vision Vancouver have worked out a velvet divorce to the point of not stepping on each other's electoral toes. That gives small 'p' and large 'p' progressives a huge drop on the rest of the field. The centre-left gets a choice between 'Classic' COPE and 'Diet' COPE, the right gets stuck with the same old NPA.

That being said, I do credit Sullivan with one very positive thing: the fact that Christy Clark and I won't be neighbours anytime soon. This page advises interested buyers to contact their real estate agent immediately.