[Dion]

Wildrose strategist Vitor Marciano said by his count, one in five votes that went to the PCs came from people who had previously gone with the Liberals or NDP.

"Literally there are about 100,000 missing centre-left votes and I'm pretty sure I know where they are — with the PCs," said Marciano.

He said published polls in the campaign matched what the Wildrose was seeing in internal surveys. But the last minute exodus of left-centre support to the PCs caught them off guard, particularly in central and northern rural ridings, Marciano said.

"A certain percentage of our voters decided on Sunday or Monday they were worried about us having too big a majority and switched to the PCs," he said.

"In the last few days a lot of people decided to hold their nose and vote Conservative because of the Wildrose."

Mason dismissed Redford's theory that the switchers changed their votes out of love for the PCs rather than fear of the Wildrose.

Redford, he said, was the main stoker of those fears.

"How many times did she say she was frightened of the Wildrose in this campaign? A number of times."

Marciano, a veteran provincial and federal campaigner, said the late- stage migration was breathtaking with 12-point swings in some places.

"I can't think of a swing that size in the last 48 hours in any other Canadian or American election. I think it was unprecedented," he said.

"This is why we hold elections and we don't decide governments based on polls."

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/can...148770295.html