Interesting look at the effect Redford is having on grassroots support.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/...545/story.html
Quote:
EDMONTON - A “shocking” number of high-ranking Progressive Conservative insiders failed to sign up for a new party fundraising program, forcing Tory organizers to delay the launch even as the party struggles to fill its war chest in preparation for the 2016 provincial election.
An email sent by party executive director Kelley Charlebois and leaked to the Edmonton Journal shows 28 of the governing party’s sitting members — nearly half — did not sign up to contribute to the new PC Legacy Fund. It is designed to increase the number of smaller, grassroots contributions to the party.
In addition, 61 of the party’s association presidents also failed to register, a figure Charlebois calls “shocking.
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Quote:
The most recent financial statements show the Conservatives were nearly $800,000 in debt after the leadership race in 2011 and an expensive provincial election in 2012. The party received $2.3 million in donations that year, eight per cent were contributions under $375.
The Wildrose finished the last election with $403,000 in the bank. That party received $2.2 million in contributions in 2012, 40 per cent of which were under $375.
The parties will file 2013 annual financial statements with Elections Alberta at the end of March.
“Our fundraising is fine, our volunteerism is fine, and our contributions from individuals is fine,” Premier Alison Redford said Tuesday, adding she was “surprised” by the email and wouldn’t have sent it herself.
Earlier this year, Redford made headlines when it was revealed she hadn’t donated to her party since 2010, when she contributed $690.
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It looks like the small regular donors are moving away from the party, if they ever lose power it's likely the large donors will abandon ship also. It'll be interesting to see the 2013 numbers at the end of the month.
It is very obvious that about 27% of the vote shifted directly from the PC's to the WR last election. The total collapse of the Lib vote allowed the PC's to retain power. This is further shown with the PC's currently sitting at around 25% support. It appears that of the people polled about 5% have drifted from the PC's right and about 11% have drifted from the PC left since the last election but it's only a poll.
2008
PC 52.7%
Lib 26.4%
NDP 8.5%
WR 6.8%
2012
PC 44%
-8.7%
WR 34.3%
+27.5%
Lib 9.9%
-16.5%
NDP 9.8%
+1.3%
ABP 1.3%
Current poll (keep in mind there is a margin of error) kind of points to the regular Lib support still being there with some possibly shifting to the NDP? Bad news for Sherman if that trend continues.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...770/story.html
PC 25%
-19%
WR 38%
+3.7%
Lib 16%
+6.7%
NDP 15%
+5.2%
It will be interesting to see if the Lib (and NDP) voters hold their nose and keep Redford in power. Without the propping up of the PC's by the traditional left vote the PC support would collapse in an election and I bet you would see the left flank of the PC's bleed the opposite way and make the Libs the #2 party. If the PC's don't turn this around in the next 6 months they will have no option but to dump Redford IMO.