Conservative MP Dianne Watts is poised to be one of the most popular BC Liberal leadership candidates, but party insiders say she'll have some tough questions to answer during the race.

Watts isn't expected to announce her candidacy until Sunday, but former finance minister Mike de Jong is already asking where she was during the spring election campaign as the Liberals were neck-and-neck with the NDP.

"We were in a very tight electoral contest," de Jong said. "She'll need to explain why, during a tight race, she wasn't around."

The Liberals ultimately lost seats in Surrey, where Watts, the former mayor, remains very popular. Given that the election results allowed the NDP and Green to partner up and end the Liberals' 16-year reign in B.C., de Jong said some supporters could be put off by her absence.

"They may well ask themselves who has been there for us in the past? Who has lent their support to us when we needed it most?" said de Jong, who is also a likely candidate for leader.

Despite those questions, Watts is expected to be one of the top contenders to replace Christy Clark. An Insights West poll released in August found 39 per cent of British Columbians have a favourable opinion of the MP, the highest of all potential leaders polled.

Thirty per cent of respondents had a favourable opinion of former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan, who announced his candidacy Thursday, compared to 17 per cent for former transportation minister Todd Stone and 38 per cent for de Jong.

While Sullivan is the only candidate who has officially thrown his hat into the ring, as many as 10 candidates could be vying for the Liberal leadership.

The first of several debates has been scheduled for Oct. 15.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan