Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer 
Portia Simpson Miller.
PEOPLE'S NATIONAL Party (PNP) vice-president Portia Simpson Miller, launches her presidential campaign this afternoon.
There will be a pre-launch at 3 p.m. then the launch an hour later at the National Indoors Sports Centre beside the National Arena in St. Andrew.
Mrs. Simpson Miller, who holds the local
government, community development and sport portfolio, is the latest of three presidential
candidates to launch her campaign.
It is the second time that Simpson Miller will be vying for leadership of the PNP and if successful, she could be Jamaica's first female prime minister.
Earlier this year, fellow PNP vice-president, Dr. Peter Phillips and PNP Region Three chairman, Dr. Omar Davies, launched their respective campaigns.
At the PNP's annual conference in September, Mr. Patterson announced he would quit in time to allow his successor to lead the party for the reading of the 2006/2007 Budget in Parliament. Since then, there have been predictions that Mr. Patterson will depart by February.
It was in 1992 that Portia Simpson first sought the leadership of the PNP, hoping to fill the post left vacant by the ailing Michael Manley.
Though hugely popular with the general public at the time, she was no match for P.J. Patterson who easily secured a substantial majority of delegate votes to clinch the contest.
Now, 13 years later, Simpson Miller is exuding confidence that she will emerge the victor. Her challenge this time, however, is not dissimilar to the last.
STILL A FAVOURITE
Though still a favourite with the electorate, she does not enjoy the support of most of her parliamentary colleagues within the PNP. That distinction goes to Dr. Phillips, for whom a majority of MPs have already indicated their backing. Dr. Davies is also reportedly garnering support from more MP's than the lone female candidate.
Simpson Miller and her campaign team are banking however on the support of the delegates, independent of the views of their MP's, to secure the majority required in the presidential election.
