Independent candidates are often election longshots, as they seek seats in the House of Assembly without the financial or logistical boost from being part of a larger political party.

But of the nine such outliers in the 2019 election, there are two who are betting big on their personal brands, and doing so with no shortage of confidence.

"People know my track record. People know I've been around. People know that I fight for it," said Eddie Joyce, who first represented the Humber-Bay of Islands district for the Liberal Party briefly in 1989, and then again from 1999 until 2018, when the Liberals kicked him out over allegations of bullying and harrassment. He was later cleared of those allegations.

"I'm feeling very good, very positive about things," said Paul Lane, who is seeking re-election as an Independent for Mount Pearl-Southlands. He was booted from the Liberal caucus in 2016 after voting against the party's budget, and has previously been a Progressive Conservative representing the same district.

People over party

This election does mark technically new territory for the two veterans Lane and Joyce, as each mounts their first solo campaign. But neither politician says knocking on doors these days feels any different.

"The only difference for me, this election, is the colour of the sign," said Joyce. (His signs? Purple, his mother's favourite colour.)

"I haven't had any challenges, to be 100 per cent honest. My campaign is being run the same way as my previous two provincial campaigns," said Lane.

The other seven Independents don't enjoy the extra name recognition that comes with incumbency or controversy, but that hasn't deterred them from their decisions to go it alone.

"It's very simple. I really went to help the people of Exploits. I love this district," said Gloria Cooper, who is running as an Independent for Exploits.

Gloria Cooper is a former mayor of Botwood, but 2019 is her first foray into provincial politics. (Submitted by Gloria Cooper campaign staff)

Cooper, a former mayor of Botwood, music teacher and guidance counselor, said she's always voted for people over parties, and felt her first foray into provincial politics should reflect that.

"As I do not align with any particular party more than another, I believed it was best if I offered myself as an individual candidate."

Differences, and disadvantages

But one political watcher said despite Lane and Joyce's assurances, there are major differences — and mostly, disadvantages — to being an independent candidate.

"From an electoral standpoint, pretty much all the evidence we have suggests that you're worse off, and it's a harder go," said Kelly Blidook, an associate professor of political science at Memorial University.

That includes not only logistical challenges, such as not being able to dip into party campaign coffers, Blidook said, or not being allowed to fundraise prior to declaring your candidacy.

There's also what he describes as a hesitancy among voters to deviate away from the political norm.

I think that it's more of a popularity contest, certainly, than a policy contest. - Kelly Blidook

"I definitely see a lot of people expressing that they think political parties are a problem. At the same time, I don't think there's a large cross section of the population that's willing to vote for independent candidates, unless they are really, really deeply convinced that somehow the independent candidate is the better option, and that's hard to do," he said.

Cooper said she's definitely bumped up against that.

"I've had to do some explaining, that I can still fulfil the role, of course, of an MHA without being a member of a party," she said.

"For many people, that's a very big concern."

Paul Lane is reusing his Liberal campaign signs from the last election, with a little modification. (Ariana Kelland/CBC)

Popularity contest

Despite those downsides, Blidook called Joyce and Lane "relatively strong candidates," in their bids to go it alone.

"I've had more people coming forward wanting to volunteer this time than I quite frankly had when I was with either of the parties," said Lane, who has previously said he was courted as a candidate by the PCs, Liberals, and NDP.

Lane's popularity pales in comparison to Joyce: front lawns in the Bay of Islands are as purple with Joyce signs as they are with crocuses, and he boasted to CBC his next three weekends are chock-full of invites to constituent birthday parties and similar events.

Even the Liberal Humber-Bay of Islands District Association resigned en masse in support of him. With his long-time team behind him, Joyce said he is in full meet-and-greet mode.

Eddie Joyce's purple election signs are plastered all over Curling. (Lindsay Bird/CBC)

"We don't make any promises, no commitments," he said.

In a time of soaring economic anxiety in Newfoundland and Labrador, it may seem counterintuitive for a candidate to run on little more than a willingness to attend anniversary parties. But Blidook said getting personal is really the only option for Independents, who have little ability to influence what happens in the House of Assembly.

"I think that it's more of a popularity contest, certainly, than a policy contest," he said.

"At the end of the day, neither of these people can promise a platform that they'll put into place if they're elected, because they're not part of a party that will do that."

Short lifespan?

While now both fiercely Independent, both Lane and Joyce are still using their prior political experience — the majority of which was as a party member — on the campaign trail.

"I will put my record of success, in terms of helping people, up against any MHA, and I don't care what party they're with," said Lane.

Gloria Cooper says she's always voted for people over parties. (Facebook)

Joyce touted his continued pressure, while sitting as a Liberal, to get a radiation unit in the plans for the new Corner Brook hospital. That pressure, he said, yielded success. The hospital itself, however, is still more myth than mortar in Corner Brook, with no construction yet started on the building which has been promised by politicians since 2007.

Joyce's and Lane's opponents will most likely focus on policy and issues as their election strategies, said Blidook, adding it's "a little bit of an uphill climb" against the Lane and Joyce name recognition.

But popularity can, and does, wane.

"It's really rare," said Blidook, for Independents to enjoy lengthy careers.

"The examples are so few and far between, you really can't look and say, being an Independent is a path to a long and successful political career," he said.

Blidook pointed to John Nunziata, a federal Liberal MP who, after being booted from caucus successfully returned to the House of Commons for one term in 1997 as one of the few examples of Independent success. Returning as an Independent is rarer still — Nunziata lost his seat in 2000.

Voters get their say in the political leadership of Newfoundland and Labrador on May 16. (CBC)

But anything can happen in an election,and Cooper is keeping a positive outlook as she hears a common thread among her potential Exploits constituents — that they're frustrated with the status quo, and open to options.

"I get the sense that people are ready for a change," she said.

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