Will the Curse of Lembit strike down Ruth Reed?

Building Design - "The Architects' Website" - reports that there are three candidates for the 2009-10 Presidency of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

One of them may be in trouble, however, as the site reports that Ruth Reed "claims broad support from RIBA Council and Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik".

Visit her nascent campaign website and, sure enough, Lembit's is the first endorsement you come across:

I’ve known Ruth Reed for many years personally and professionally - especially when she was President of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales. In my view she brings two outstanding personal qualities to the role of RIBA President. Firstly, she has the proven ability to instigate a strategic focus, based on achieving specific outcomes. She’ll deliver a measurable improvement to the Government’s legislative approach towards architecture and design. Second she has demonstrated a knowledge and ability to lobby parliamentarians in a highly competent and persuasive fashion. I’ve seen her approach in action; it works, and that’s exactly what RIBA needs right now.

The other candidates are Paul Davis and Andrew Hanson. Get your money on before their odds shorten.