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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Libin: Rebellion afoot in Alberta
"There are protests" writes Kevin Libin in the National Post "and then there are rebellions":
In their final years under Klein, and their few under Stelmach, Alberta’s PCs have been bleeding support, yet it made no difference. While disgruntled Tories simply stayed home, there were usually enough loyalists and reflexive PC voters to at least outrun, in most ridings, a rattletrap, second place Liberal party, and an even weaker NDP. But Calgary voters demonstrated yesterday that given even an ill-fitting candidate from out of town, with a decent organization behind him, and a modicum of brand recognition, they’re willing to get out and vote out Ed Stelmach’s Tories for a more conservative alternative. Former PC voters are no longer staying home: for the first time, they're switching—the already half-hearted Tory vote dropping by almost half, yesterday. Even in its disarray last year, the Wildrose Alliance managed 7% of the vote, to the Tories' 53%. With their momentum from last night’s trouncing of Ed Stelmach’s party, scads of donations from a furious oilpatch, and a new leader set to take the helm come November, they stand only to improve that. It’s far too early to say whether it will succeed, but there is in Alberta, undoubtedly, rebellion afoot.
Read the rest.
UPDATE: Here are the numbers from Brian Dell:
Percentage swing from 2008:
Wildrose Alliance Party +28.67%
Liberal +1.07%
Progressive Conservative -24.71%
NDP -2.42%
Other -2.62%
Posted by Kalim Kassam on September 15, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
Libin is right to label the results a rebellion.
He also accurately observes the federal Tory element jumping on board.
And if too many more tepid federal Tories do board the WRA bandwagon, the whole project goes SIDEWAYS.
The other danger now is that the questionable tactics employed by the Chandler Dyrholm campaign may actually succeed in out selling the Danielle Smith campaign on the ground.
Andbody who wants to prevent Hinman's WRA breakthrough last night from being aborted after birth by a Chandler Dyrholm victory, needs to BUY a membership and VOTE Danielle Smith.
WRA needs a LEADER now, not a Craig Chandler sock puppet.
Posted by: John Collison | 2009-09-15 4:19:15 PM
UPDATE: Here are the numbers from Brian Dell:
Posted by Kalim Kassam on September 15, 2009
The only number that matters in Alberta is the price of crude oil. It went down today. Unless Hinman knows how to push up the price of oil he's irrelevant.
Posted by: The Stig | 2009-09-15 8:13:54 PM
Believe me, I wish we had a WRA down here in America.
Posted by: GeronL | 2009-09-15 8:27:37 PM
The Stig, if that is true then all polititians are irrelevant.
Posted by: TM | 2009-09-15 10:25:08 PM
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