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The leading contender for the nomination now appears to be Han Dong, a former Liberal member of the Ontario legislature.

Dong said he heard on the weekend that he and another candidate for the nomination, Bang Gu Jiang, had been greenlit by the Liberals’ screening committee, and that Huang had been turned down.

But he said he had no idea the reasons behind her disqualification.

“I’m just focused on winning the nomination and hopefully winning the election,” said Dong. “I’ve been an MPP before and I’m passionate about public service.”

Photo by Handout

Tan announced last December that he had been re-nominated to represent the party in the riding. He captured it in 2015, becoming the first Mandarin-speaking immigrant from mainland China elected to Parliament. But then on June 23, the MP revealed he would not run after all, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family and pursue other careers.

Lawyers’ letters sent on Yu’s behalf and obtained by the National Post allege that he had fathered the woman’s child during a lengthy affair, but refused to support the baby and brushed off Yu’s ensuing depression and suicide attempts.

She alleged Huang had intervened to have her fired from his constituency office in 2016.

Tan rejected the allegations, telling the Post he had only provided the sperm donation. Yu said it was used for in-vitro fertilization, since conceiving naturally would be difficult for a woman in her 50s.

But the controversy was apparently no deterrent to Huang, who had publicly backed her husband and soon afterward announced she was running for the nomination he had given up for family reasons.