Instead, Danny Williams calls it a career.

Few politicians get to leave at the height of their popularity – just ask Gordon Campbell. But Williams exits as one of the most popular politicians in the country and there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t have won another 2 or 3 (or 12) elections.

Williams’ departure will certainly leave a gaping hole on the federal scene – it’s not like Robert Ghiz, David Alward, or that guy in Manitoba are household names. Like Ralph Klein or Lucien Bouchard before him, Danny was a character, satirized from coast to coast, and leaving his mark on the federal scene.

I touched on this a bit when Gordon Campbell resigned earlier this month, but Williams’ departure leaves Jean Charest and Dalton McGuinty as the the only premiers still standing with at least 2 election wins under their belt. And both of them could be gone within a year.

If they do depart, that means Stephen Harper would have outlasted all ten of the Premiers in power when he first took office. Go figure.