Quote:
Originally Posted by killer_carlson
The demographic in the room was much different than when Stelmach won. What was old and white, was now young and ethnically much more diverse. I wonder if those who now have a taste of politics will stick around, or if this was a one time thing.
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If you ask me this result is pretty indicative of a couple things.
1) I think with this result, Nenshi's win last year and the changes to the Alberta Liberals and the formation of the Alberta Party, it's starting to become pretty clear that there is a big shift in the politically engage demographics in Alberta.
I don't think it's at all safe to say that the 25-35 generation of Alberta is at all politically apathetic. I'd love to see the final demographic numbers, but I have a feeling that overall there was a stronger movement in this age range during the election.
To answer your question Killer_carlson. I think whenever there is an influx of new voters in any election, if their chosen candidate wins, they typically not only stick around but become active participants. So as long as they were mostly behind Redford (and Horner) I think you'll see a new level of passion towards the party.
2) I think this result will eventually be a big boon for both the PCs and the Wildrose, while taking away some of the steam from the Liberals, NDP and Alberta Party. As a couple people have already mentioned, I think the harder right leaning PC voters are going to be a bit disenfranchised with Redford, the so called "TemporaryTories" and swing towards the Wildrose.
But I think having Redford, which and I don't want to make this about her solely on her sex, will bring a certain level of buzz and attention to the causal political observer in Alberta. On the surface just the switch to a female leader is dramatic change to the optics of the party. If a year ago you mentioned that the Alberta PCs would elect a women as the leader of the party, I would have laughed you right out of the building.
Speaking as someone who has lived under PC rule for the past 31 years, after Stelmach's win last time it was hard not to see the PCs as the old guard and to feel apathetic that any sort of new ideas would appear in the party. But now the PCs have a younger more dynamic leader at the helm and it's hard not to give them a second look. Which in turn breathes new life into the PCs base, while taking away the Alberta Party and Liberals main criticism that Alberta needs to move away from the "old boys club".