Laurie Throness says he made the decision to stay in the race after being encouraged to do so by his supporters.
A statement from the party says more than $441,000 has been raised in the first 15 days of October.
Horgan says the resignation also raises questions about the views of other Liberal candidates in the Oct. 24 election who have been linked to anti-LGBTQ statements.
Horgan, who referred to Wilkinson as "buddy" several times during the CKNW debate, replied that his government couldn't fix all the mess the Liberals left behind in one fell swoop.
Today, after discussions with the leader, Laurie Throness has announced he is stepping down as a candidate in the upcoming provincial election.
In total, 670,033 vote-by-mail packages have been issued to voters. Issued packages include those that have been sent to voters or are being prepared to be mailed.