Long-time Liberal Sheila Copps has lost her bid for the Liberal nomination in the new riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek to Tony Valeri, Minister of Transport.

CBC reports that more than 5000 voted yesterday in the culmination of a high-profile and nasty nomination battle. The two MPs were contesting the same riding due to changes in the federal riding boundaries for the next election.

Sheila Copps, who was once Deputy Prime Minister in the Chretien government, was dumped from cabinet when Paul Martin took over as Prime Minister in December 2003. She refused a patronage appointment at the time and has been vocal that she was being forced out of the riding by Martin's people.

Copps says she will take a week to decide what to do. She has said she may run as an independent in the same riding, and she has flirted with the possibility of joining the New Democratic Party, although that seems unlikely. She also has 72 hours from last night's vote to file an official complaint with the Liberal Party permanent appeals committee about any irregularities in the nomination vote.
More: Liberal Party of Canada