John Cummins can’t complain. Two years into his retirement after 18 solid years as a Reform, Alliance, and Conservative MP in Delta and Richmond, followed by a couple more as leader of the B.C. Conservative Party, life is good.

Now based in Langley, he and his family breed horses on their property. In the winter, they spend some time in Mexico in search of warmer climes.

When reached for his thoughts about how this year’s federal election is shaping up, Cummins immediately goes into what everyone seems to be talking about these days: that although considered a heresy not too long ago, the federal NDP may win.

“You know look at Alberta, what happened there, and you know, you have to think that anything’s possible,” Cummins told the Straight on his mobile.

He admitted that he’s “in a sense somewhat alarmed at the surge with the NDP”.

Explaining the ascendance of the NDP led by Tom Mulcair, Cummins said: “Mr. Mulcair, he presents well. He’s like your, you know, favourite uncle. He just seems, and he is, he is a nice man, you know. I’ve met him. He can put on a show in Parliament.”

The grizzled political warrior that he is, Cummins can’t resist a stab at federal Liberal Justin Trudeau, currently trailing Mulcair and Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the polls.

“In the same token, I think that Mr. Trudeau doesn’t present well, because he just doesn’t have that solid character I think that people are looking for in a leader,” Cummins said.

The ballot is on October 19, and according to conventional wisdom, that’s ages away, and Cummins thinks so as well.

“It is early on and the closer we get to the election, I think the more that people are going to be looking at, you know, Mr. Mulcair’s policies,” he said, “and I think that the more they do, the less enamoured they’re going to be with him.”

Mulcair and Harper are tied in the polls, with the NDP leader getting a serious second look from voters as a potential prime minister.

Although the economy is tanking and not playing according to the script that Canada is well off under the Conservatives, Cummins believes this issue will clinch the election in favour of the ruling party.

“If you look back in 2008, Canada fared very, very well compared to the rest of the world in that recession. We…suffered less harm than any nation. And I think a lot of it had to do with the stability at the helm and that was demonstrated by Mr. Harper and the economic policies of the Conservative government," he said. “We are in tough times again because of the price of oil and so on, and I think at the end of the day that Mr. Harper…love him or hate him, I think that…he’s more able I think to insulate Canada from the troubles of the world and to revive the economy than any of the other leaders.”

As the campaign progresses, Cummins is confident that the tide will turn in favour of Harper.

He’s not likely to interrupt his retirement to join the campaign: “We’re pretty busy with these horses, and, you know, enjoying life.”