Former MPP joins London's mayoral race

A second high profile candidate has joined the race to become London's next mayor.

Former Member of Provincial Parliament for London-Fanshawe Khalil Ramal officially registered on Monday.

Ramal, who served as a Liberal, was first elected in 2003 and was in office until 2011 when he lost an election to Teresa Armstrong.

He returned to politics in 2015, when he challenged federal MP Irene Mathyssen in London-Fanshawe. Mathyssen was one of the few New Democrats east of Manitoba to hold onto their seat in that election, which produced a majority for Justin Trudeau.

He tried to earn the party's nomination in the same riding in 2019, but leadership rejected his nomination for reasons that remain unclear.

Ramal joins a small field.

Current Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan is also running for the top job. He's served on city council since 2014.

Sean O'Connell and Dan Lenart are both on the ballot as well, but have each run in past elections and only earned a few hundred votes.

Ed Holder, London's current mayor, announced in May that he would not be seeking re-election.

The municipal election is October 24th. The deadline to register is August 19.