The founder of the defunct Equality Party and a well-known newspaper editor are facing off for the Conservative nomination for the riding of Mount Royal.

Robert Libman made his official announcement Thursday evening before 200 supporters at a Cote des Neiges hotel.

"I'm announcing it to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the stunning Equality Party succes on election night in 1989," said Libman.

Libman says work to gain conservative members support has gone well and many believe the riding needs someone of his political pedigree.

"I think he's the type of person who could do really interesting things and very positive things for the community and the Conservative Party," said Mark Lipson.

His main rival for the nomination will be well-known newspaper editor and political advisor Beryl Wajsman.

"I spent the past three weeks meeting groups, speaking to everyone from 10 to 100 and signing people up," said Wajsman.

"I want their skin in the game. I've led enough campaigns, I've made laws, I've reformed other laws."

Wajsman has a long history of working in the riding, and was an aide to Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, who was first elected in Mount Royal in 1999.

The riding itself is a Liberal stronghold, having being held by the party for nearly 75 years.

But the Conservative Party thinks it is vulnerable, and for the past few elections has tried very hard to succeed. In the last election the Conservative candidate, Saulie Zajdel, won 35 percent of ballots cast.

Both Libman and Wajsman think they can win the riding.

"Keep in mind 25 years ago, when I ran for the Equality Party in D'Arcy McGee, that was the safest Liberal seat in the province by a mile at the time," said Libman. "People used say that you could put a red mail box as the Liberal candidate in D'Arcy McGee and he would win."

Wajsman points to his work for constituents as the reason he should be the Conservative pick.

"I've defended the vulnerable. I want to see that they're in the game," said Wajsman.

The Liberal Party is also in the process of choosing a candidate with the leading contenders being Cote Saint Luc Mayor Anthony Housefather facing rival Jonathan Goldbloom, son of a former Quebec cabinet minister.