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After more than a year of campaigning for the Liberal nomination in Scarborough Southwest, criminologist Michael Kempa has stepped aside in favour of 11th hour star candidate Bill Blair, former chief of the Toronto Police.

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“It stings, for sure, I’m a human being, but I think if you had nothing else going on, it would be devastating,” said Kempa.

Nevertheless, in a highly contested riding like Scarborough Southwest, he said it was always a possibility that a “big name would show up late in the contest.”

The riding had been Liberal ever since its 1997 creation, until the Grits were bumped to third place after the disastrous 2011 campaign led by Michael Ignatieff. It is now held by New Democrat Dan Harris.

Earlier this month, former CTV journalist Tim Weber — who was previously considered the leading candidate for Scarborough Southwest — also dropped out in favour of Blair.

“Scarborough Southwest has not had a candidate of his profile and credentials in many years,” he said at the time.