National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief is set to be announced as the ruling party’s general election candidate for Smith’s South after Linda Merritt withdrew her candidacy, The Royal Gazette can report.Mr Perinchief lost the candidate selection contest for his current district Pembroke Central, last year to Walton Brown.But he will be unveiled at an Alaska Hall media event as the candidate for Smith’s South late this morning.Yesterday evening Mr Perinchief confirmed unofficial reports that he had agreed to step in following Ms Merritt’s resignation — understood to be for personal reasons.Mr Perinchief will be taking on Cole Simons, who has represented the district since 1998. Also running is David Tavares, former branch chairman for the United Bermuda Party, who has thrown his hat in the ring as an independent.Mr Tavares believes there is a greater appetite for independent candidates than in past general elections.But the district is considered an Opposition stronghold, having been held by the UBP by strong margins.In 2007, Mr Simons garnered 673 votes against the ruling party’s candidate Jane Correia who received 243 votes.One PLP insider offered that Mr Perinchief was effectively “cannon fodder” in Smith’s South, which had consistently voted against PLP candidates over the years.“I’m a loyal supporter of the Progressive Labour Party,” he said when asked why he had accepted the nomination.Following his defeat at the branch selection contest last year he made it clear that he would not turn down a Senate role, which would allow him to continue as the National Security Minister should the PLP form the next Government.Mr Perinchief was first elected as an MP in 1998 in the Pembroke West constituency and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007 in Pembroke Central.