Port Saguenay board member Lina Boivin, who was endorsed by Lemieux,[6][7] defeated former Saint-Charles de Bourget mayor Michel Ringuette[8] for the Liberal nomination,[9][10] held in May 2018.

[11][12][13] "Promotion Saguenay" Director of Industrial Development and Corporate Affairs Claude Bouchard had his candidacy rejected by the federal Liberal party.

[14] Dany Morin and former Ontario MPP and federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh both expressed interest in running for the nomination but decided against it.

[18] Former Dubuc PQ MNA Jean-Marie Claveau[19] and teacher Valérie Tremblay[19] were rumoured to be interested in running for the Bloc Québécois nomination.

Former Chicoutimi—Le Fjord BQ MP Robert Bouchard, Saguenay firefighter Mario Gagnon,[20] and UQAC political science professor Michel Roche declined to run for the nomination.