GDT: The Alberta Election 2012 - The Morning After - PC Majority Government

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

The cities demographics are only going to get more progressive. This might have been the best chance the Wildrose will have.

This

[FanIn80]

I'm pretty sure the WRP shot themselves in the face by letting the rednecks run wild with the microphones, and then not doing anything about it afterwards.

It's pretty easy to play the fear card when the opposition acts like something we should be afraid of.

[Ozy_Flame]

Whooo! Man Meat won Calgary greenway!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

Really, I guess I'm a little surprised.

Calgary CTV showed that the SW area of the province was WR pink. Points to a conflict between agriculture and the oil industry as per land rights.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I don't believe that.

The vast majority of voters are uninformed and will vote based on public perception. If the WRP can avoid the pitfalls of having multiple candidates with seriously backwards views in the last 2 weeks of this campaign, they have this election in the (minority) bag.

They will be a major player in the years to come in Alberta, unless the PC party takes a dramatic shift right during the next 4 years, which they won't.

I agree that a lot of the voters are mis-informed but I don't think that they vote based on public perception, I think they vote on name recognition, see Davis, Jefferson - the distinguished gentleman

Basically the conservatives could run an inanimate carbon rod and probably get it a seat.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

And Smith has to be up front and center in opposition and remind Albertan's of the monetary cost everytime the PC's spend stupidly.

Smith was willing to throw a billion bucks down the drain just to buy votes... is she really the bastion of financial responsibility and leadership?

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Rathji

They will be a major player in the years to come in Alberta, unless the PC party takes a dramatic shift right during the next 4 years, which they won't.

Not sure if the dramatic shift of the voting populace is completely out of the question as a change that could help one party or another. I mean, how many of us were predicting Nenshi early on? Wasn't McIver considered the "easy win" candidate? Nenshi really came into his own in the last few weeks of the municipal election.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I'm pretty sure the WRP shot themselves in the face by letting the rednecks run wild with the microphones, and then not doing anything about it afterwards.

It's pretty easy to play the fear card when the opposition acts like something we should be afraid of.

BINGO

It had nothing to do with what the PCs said that made me vote for them, it was what the WRP said that made me not vote for them, after I had thought I would.

The PCs didn't win this. The WRP lost it.

[TurnedTheCorner]

In Rod We Trust.

Seems like a vote for the status quo isn't so bad to me. Oh well. I just want the signs down.

[troutman]

We can`t under-estimate the Slava Bump, and his QR77 talking points.

[CedarMeter]

Originally Posted by Ace

Is there any chance the nice weather today played a role in the voter turnout (and results)

What percent was it? In people that voted?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Smith was willing to throw a billion bucks down the drain just to buy votes... is she really the bastion of financial responsibility and leadership?

in terms of comparisons to Allison absolutely, that doesn't say much but it is what it is.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Let's face it....the pearls worked.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Smith was willing to throw a billion bucks down the drain just to buy votes... is she really the bastion of financial responsibility and leadership?

How is Redford going to pay for all her campain promises without running a deficit?

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Basically the conservatives could run an inanimate carbon rod and probably get it a seat.

Hey, Inanimate Carbon Rod has more charisma than Mitt Romney, so that's a plus.

[Hack&Lube]

I don't think this result is an endorsement of loose-spending fiscal policy, rather the first step in a sea change in this province. In many of the ridings, the PCs won by smaller margins. It was not a total landslide if you get down to the raw numbers.

The WRP was tugging the right strings and saying what people wanted to hear about fiscal conservatism and changing a government that was resting on 40 years of laurels and out of touch with the people.

The problem with the WRP is that there was probably a good backlash of people who were unsure of an unproven party and more afraid of instability and the unknown. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't. Their problems were compounded by having a bunch of inexperienced candidates with social views that shocked many people. I believe that a large majority of Albertans (especially the urban ones) don't really want social conservatism. We want fiscal conservatism and that's it.

I'm personally not a big fan of either candidate in my riding but the PC candidate had a business degree from U of C and a SAIT degree as an electrician. The Wildrose guy has a PH.D from a "Humanitarian Institute" in California and specializes in "spiritual counseling"... I can pretty well guess what the first one is about but the second one, I have no idea so I'm not going to vote that way.

If the Wildrose want to win next time, and really want to show they have what it takes to run government - try running more candidates that people would have an easier time having faith in being able to actually move on the important things for Alberta's fiscal policy and economy.

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by Dion

How is Redford going to pay for all her campain promises without running a deficit?

With her 300 Danidollars...

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by pylon

BINGO

It had nothing to do with what the PCs said that made me vote for them, it was what the WRP said that made me not vote for them, after I had thought I would.

The PCs didn't win this. The WRP lost it.

This is absolutely true, and it's surprising that's the case, since the PCs were the incumbents.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

What percent was it? In people that voted?

I don't know, but guy on CTV was saying it looks low...

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by CedarMeter

What percent was it? In people that voted?

Last I checked, http://results.elections.ab.ca/wtResultsPGE.htm had 872,778 voters tallied (No. of Polls Reporting 5,179 of 6,765)

I don't know the total eligible voter numbers though.