Quote:
Originally Posted by darklord700
Danielle Smith must be sweating now. If PC did get a new premier, 2 year is a long time for voters to forget about Alison's transgression. And if this new premier is a true conservative, what's separating PC from WR then?
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The belief that it's just the same, tired PC party. There has, historically, been very little to differentiate the federal Liberals from the Conservatives all things considered. Much of the difference came down to party colours and how a voter chooses to label themselves. I think the provincial PCs have gone too far down the rabbit hole to prop up a "true conservative" and heal divisions on the right. That plan might well have worked if that candidate had won the leadership in 2011, but would be much tougher sledding now.
And you are right, two years is a long time to overcome Alison. But is it enough time to overcome the cumulative effects of Farmer Ed, Alison, and the obvious divisions within the PC party? Can the PCs use a leadership convention as a call to reunite and pick the best candidate? Or will it devolve into another factionalized effort where a mid-tier candidate that pleases nobody sneaks up the middle again?
Time is the best weapon the Tories have, and they need as much of it as they can get. Voters do have short attention spans, so while we know that people will scoff when said new leader comes up with the same "not your parent's PC party" propaganda pap that Redford did, there is time to let people forget. Raj and Danielle, of course, will be working hard to ensure the people don't.
And this is assuming the Tories don't elect a third uninspiring leader in a row. If they pick the wrong leader again, all bets are off.