Dana Larsen is interested in potentially seeking a seat in the legislature after the B.C. New Democrat leadership race ends April 17.

“I think I’d be a fine MLA and I have a lot to contribute to the NDP,” said the leadership hopeful and former B.C. Marijuana Party leader.

“But it also is one race at a time so I just want to get through this one before we start working on another election”¦I would love to be in the legislature and we’re working on a riding and seeing if we can find a good spot for me.”

Larsen is the only NDP leadership candidate who is not an MLA. The others remaining in the contest are Adrian Dix, Mike Farnworth, and John Horgan.

An east Vancouver resident, Larsen told the Straight he hasn’t settled on where he would aim to earn an NDP nomination.

Larsen declared his candidacy for the NDP leadership more than three months ago. He said he has been well received on the campaign trail.

“I think some people at the beginning of the campaign were worried that I was going to try to hijack the leadership race or do inappropriate things as a leadership candidate,” he said.

“We ran a campaign based on ideas and on our platform. My goal was to win the leadership but also to bring forward important ideas that aren’t being discussed enough in the political mainstream I think and to address some of those within the NDP.”

You can follow Stephen Thomson on Twitter at twitter.com/thomsonstraight.