The tumultuous week in Christy Clark's premiership continued Wednesday after Finance Minister Kevin Falcon announced he may sit out the 2013 election, and a prominent former Liberal supporter revealed plans to run against the party.

Questions about Clark's leadership ability have been at the forefront since Monday, when veteran MLA John van Dongen stood in the legislature to deliver a scathing critique of the former CKNW radio host and announce he was defecting to the Conservative party.

On Tuesday night, former Liberal Rick Peterson, who backed Falcon's leadership bid against Clark last year, announced he, too, intended to run for John Cummins' upstart free enterprise party.

"There's a need for new leadership in the province," Peterson told CTV News, adding that Cummins represents a move towards fiscal responsibility and a "direct, clear-cut approach to business."

The candidate for nomination hopes to represent the party in the Vancouver-Quilchena riding currently held by Gordon Campbell's former finance minister Colin Hansen, who may face a tough reelection race due to his role in implementing the controversial harmonized sales tax.

Falcon, who was runner-up to Clark in the February 2011 Liberal leadership contest, said he's rethinking his family life.

"I care a lot about the party," he said. "I've invested a lot of time in it. But I also care a lot about my family. I have a young child at home. Before I make a major decision like that, I want to make sure I spend the time thinking about it and talking to my family and thinking about our future."

Falcon said that any decision about his political future has nothing to do with the apparent decline in popularity of the Liberal government.

"We've typically always been behind in the polls between elections," he said. "I'm not at all concerned about the fact that we happen to be temporarily down in the polls."

Falcon said he's optimistic British Columbians will support the Liberals as the province's free-enterprise voice in the May 2013 election despite an apparent surge in support for the Conservatives.

"A lot of that parked vote will come home," he said.

He said he supports Clark, and his musings about his future should not be viewed as criticism of her leadership.

"It should not be interpreted as a lack of support at all," said Falcon. "I'm very supportive of the premier, I'm very supportive of our government. Actually, I'm much more optimistic than most people about how things will end up."

Education Minister George Abbott, who has been navigating contentious negotiations with the province's teachers, also said he wasn't sure whether he'll run next year.

Abott said he hadn't made a decision either way. He said he'll be talking it over with his family in the coming months and will likely make a decision later this year, closer to when nominations are filled.

An Angus Reid Public Opinion poll released last week suggested the BC New Democrats had enough momentum to take 75 of the 85 seats in the legislature were an election held immediately.

Another poll released this week named Clark the second-least popular premier in Canada, with an approval rating of just 33 per cent. Only Quebec's Jean Charest scored lower, at 27 per cent.

With files from The Canadian Press