Lorraine Michael
Caucus revolt and 2015-2019
### Caucus revolt and 2015\-2019

On October 21, 2013, it was revealed that Michael had received a letter from her caucus over the previous weekend calling for a leadership election to be held in 2014\. The caucus felt that without renewal in the party they would have trouble attracting quality candidates and public support in the 2015 election. In an interview with the [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation](/wiki/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation "Canadian Broadcasting Corporation") (CBC), Michael said she was shocked by the letter and felt betrayed by her caucus. Michael said she planned to sit down with her caucus before making a decision on what to do.

The letter led to a public fight within the NDP, particularly among the caucus. Both [Gerry Rogers](/wiki/Gerry_Rogers "Gerry Rogers") and [George Murphy](/wiki/George_Murphy_%28Canadian_politician%29 "George Murphy (Canadian politician)") said they regretted sending the letter and supported Michael, while [Dale Kirby](/wiki/Dale_Kirby "Dale Kirby") and [Chris Mitchelmore](/wiki/Chris_Mitchelmore "Chris Mitchelmore") stood behind what they had written in the letter. Following the caucus meeting Michael agreed to having a vote on her leadership at the next annual general meeting of the party. Both Kirby and Mitchelmore later announced they were leaving the caucus to sit as Independent MHAs, and both men joined the Liberal Party in February 2014\. The dispute over Michael's leadership also led to members of the provincial executive to resign. In May 2014 a party convention reaffirmed her leadership with the support of 75% of delegates. Michael announced on January 6, 2015, that she is stepping down as party leader after the party performed poorly in four by\-elections, but will not be stepping down as an MHA. She was succeeded by [Earle McCurdy](/wiki/Earle_McCurdy "Earle McCurdy") following a [leadership election on March 7, 2015](/wiki/2015_New_Democratic_Party_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador_leadership_election "2015 New Democratic Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election"). Michael successfully contested the 2015 provincial election in the district of [St. John's East\-Quidi Vidi](/wiki/St._John%27s_East-Quidi_Vidi "St. John's East-Quidi Vidi").["Full list of winners in Newfoundland and Labrador election"](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/provincial-election-candidates-1.3343999). [CBC News](/wiki/CBC_News "CBC News"), November 30, 2015\. She subsequently served as NDP [House Leader](/wiki/House_Leader "House Leader") in the following parliamentary sessions as Earle McCurdy did not win his seat.

Following the resignation of her successor as NDP leader, Earle McCurdy, Michael was appointed interim leader of the NDP in 2017\. She served as interim leader until the election of MHA Gerry Rogers as leader in April 2018\. She declined to run for re\-election in the 2019 election in order to give party leader [Alison Coffin](/wiki/Alison_Coffin "Alison Coffin") a chance to win a seat.


How did Michael respond to the letter from her caucus?