Hong Kong leadership candidate says one-horse race 'not easy'

John Lee, 64, is expected to be anointed the business hub’s new chief executive by a committee of 1,500 Beijing loyalists next month. Hong Kong media have widely reported that Lee will, at Beijing’s request, face no rivals in the election. Lee officially registered his candidacy with the city’s election watchdog on Wednesday with 786 nominations from the committee. That number surpasses the legal threshold needed for him to win the May 8 poll. Asked by a reporter whether he faced an easier journey without rivals, Lee replied: “It is not easy because I have been working very hard to…