Conservative Leadership Debate: Who's the Next Premier of Alberta?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Azure

To me anyways...I just wish he would let the same-sex marriage issue die down...completley. Its over and done with.

I wonder how many votes Morton would get by doing that.

I agree he would have gotten more. Personally, I think if the Conservatives in general would just stop pushing their agenda regarding morals and "ways of life", they would have much larger support all around. Many people in the nation agree with their political stance, but it's their social issues that they are really scared of....and for some reason, many PC's provincially and nationally dont seem to realize that.

[Dion]

Results so far in the Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership race with 74/83 polls reporting:

46, 001 Jim Dinning
38, 597 Ed Stelmach
32, 373 Ted Morton

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Dion

Wasn't Morton going to opt out of the CPP?

And wasn't he for a 2 tiered health care?

Morton is to radical for me.

Seems like he is to radical for most people.

I thought he would do better then he is.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I agree he would have gotten more. Personally, I think if the Conservatives in general would just stop pushing their agenda regarding morals and "ways of life", they would have much larger support all around. Many people in the nation agree with their political stance, but it's their social issues that they are really scared of....and for some reason, many PC's provincially and nationally dont seem to realize that.

Agreed 100%...believe it or not.

[Bobblehead]

I just switched to Global - where is the coverage coming from?

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Dion

Results so far in the Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership race with 74/83 polls reporting:

46, 001 Jim Dinning
38, 597 Ed Stelmach
32, 373 Ted Morton

I think they just showed the results with Morton and Stelmach switched! Whoops.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I agree he would have gotten more. Personally, I think if the Conservatives in general would just stop pushing their agenda regarding morals and "ways of life", they would have much larger support all around. Many people in the nation agree with their political stance, but it's their social issues that they are really scared of....and for some reason, many PC's provincially and nationally dont seem to realize that.

Really how much more support do the Conservatives need in Alberta?

I think you underestimate the amount of support that they would lose if they drop some of these "agendas." A move to far center socially may result in some higher profile individuals moving to other parties and creating another viable right wing party in Alberta. The PC's hve been successful by having enough appeal to the socially conservative voters while not being too "out there" for the more center voters. To move to the center opens the opportunity for another party to become more legitimate. Without Ralph as the leader and with a new guy who could be seen as winning not because of his owns abilities but because of dislike of the other guys not sue that this it the time to do it.

They were other factors involved but the Reform was able to gain popularity and ultimatly offical opposition status because there are people in this country, particularly in Alberta that do agree with these agendas.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by moon

They were other factors involved but the Reform was able to gain popularity and ultimatly offical opposition status because there are people in this country, particularly in Alberta that do agree with these agendas.

Yep, and all they ever remained was the opposition....the only way they actually got to power was to merge with a more established and central party in comparison. There are many people who support those agendas, but frankly any party that wants to win consistently on a national level has to tone down the right wing views on social issues since the majority of canadians are more liberal (small l, folks) on that front.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Yep, and all they ever remained was the opposition....the only way they actually got to power was to merge with a more established and central party in comparison. There are many people who support those agendas, but frankly any part that wants to win consistently on a national level has to tone down the right wing views on social issues since the majority of canadians are more liberal (small l, folks) on that front.

But how will a conservative party stay in power if they being to alienate the socially conservative voters, mainly out west, if they start to change their views. Moving more center opens up the door to another Reform type party starting. It is a tightrope that they have to walk. All I am saying is moving furhter central to me seems to make them the Liberals of of the early 90's and we saw how that played out west. It may not happen all at once but if Harper is replaced by a moderate and the party starts shifting from its social conservatism too much I could see another grassroots movement starting.

Provincially this is going to be an interesting time for the PC's. It will be interesting to see what the top guys in the party do with Stelmach as the leader. To me it doesn't seem as though he has a lot of support but more has the support against Morton or Dinning. Will high level guys who supported Dinning or Morton stay with Stelmach. I woder if guys will want to get behind him. The support of Oberg and Nohra doesn't exactly make me think of a powerhouse of political power.

To me Dinning has a lot more powerful support and if he wanted to cause trouble within the party he certainly could. If Morton moves to create a further right wing party or join with the Alberta Alliance he could give them a solid footing in the province. He is popular in a lot of areas and could steal seats from the conservatives in some ridings. I assume it will all be smoothed over but if guys feel like stirring it up...

All I know is that it seems that all three guys could have their own parties and they would all three beat the Liberals and NDP.

[Julio]

This doesn't suprise me as much as it seems to most people...I figured Ed had a good chance because:

-Morton's support was strong, but it wasn't going to grow any, because he was the candidate of the 'true believers'.
-Stelmach got the support of several of the candidates who were forced to drop out.
-While Morton's and Dinning's forces sniped at each other, Stelmach kept fairly quiet, and thus appealed to party members who want to keep the PCs strong and in power.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

Hey FF where are you getting the #'s?

Sorry Fozzie! Decided to tune in to the coverage, which I'm sure you've found already!

Originally Posted by moon

We go from a great Premier to this loser, I can't wait. Hopefully Morton will go over to the Alberta Alliance and kick out the Stelmach PC's in the next election.

Please no. Not because I don't like Morton (he would've been my choice) but because how likely is the province to vote in a loser? He came in third. The Alberta Alliance would apparently be better off with Dinning, except that Dinning is too left wing for the AA. I would suggest the AA needs someone though.

[Julio]

With 79 constituencies reporting:

Jim Dinning: 48,543
Ted Morton: 36,071
Ed Stelmach: 44,046

From the Herald's site

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Please no. Not because I don't like Morton (he would've been my choice) but because how likely is the province to vote in a loser? He came in third. The Alberta Alliance would apparently be better off with Dinning, except that Dinning is too left wing for the AA. I would suggest the AA needs someone though.

Yes, I'm quoting myself...

I should clarify. There are certain people who would be able to pull off winning an election after losing something... For example, Preston Manning could take the AA to the Ledge. Also, I think Klein could start a random party that stood for nothing and people would still vote for him. You have to have charisma to be able to pull of such a stunt, and I don't think Morton has it.

[Julio]

With 82 of 83 constituencies reporting:

Jim Dinning: 49,440
Ted Morton: 38,167
Ed Stelmach: 45,890

[moon]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Sorry Fozzie! Decided to tune in to the coverage, which I'm sure you've found already!



Please no. Not because I don't like Morton (he would've been my choice) but because how likely is the province to vote in a loser? He came in third. The Alberta Alliance would apparently be better off with Dinning, except that Dinning is too left wing for the AA. I would suggest the AA needs someone though.

Dinning has a better chance running for the Liberals than the AA. Having Morton would give a lto more credibility to the AA. He may have been a "loser" in this vote, but then so was Stelmach. He didn't get more votes than Dinning. He got barely more than a third of the votes.

Which is something that is driving me nuts. What the hell are all these Stelmach supporters talking about "all over Alberta people have shown that they support Stelmach." Hasn't it been shown that 1/3 of the people support Stelmach and that the other voters support Morton and Dinning but prefer Stelmach to the other guy. I know that Stelmach will end up winning and that they have to say all the right things expecially early on on TV but lets not pretend that Stelmach just won a overwhelming mandate from the voters. He slipped in because of the other candidates supporters dislike for each other and now I am supposed to believe these idiots that the province is all behind their idiot candidate. Shut it Oberg and other losers!

[moon]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Yes, I'm quoting myself...

I should clarify. There are certain people who would be able to pull off winning an election after losing something... For example, Preston Manning could take the AA to the Ledge. Also, I think Klein could start a random party that stood for nothing and people would still vote for him. You have to have charisma to be able to pull of such a stunt, and I don't think Morton has it.

I think that after the high profile that he gained in this leadership race that Morton definatly could inject some credibility and support to the AA.

And Stelmach just showed that you don't need charisma when it comes to elections.

[Bobblehead]

Does Dinning really have a Liberal bias, or was that just some election mud slinging?

Wasn't he the Treasurer for Ralph during all the harshest cuts when Ralph first came to power? Would he have changed his stripes so radically?

[FireFly]

WOW! Latest results!

Stelmach 50,046!
Dinning 49,610
Morton 38,483

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by moon

I think that after the high profile that he gained in this leadership race that Morton definatly could inject some credibility and support to the AA.

And Stelmach just showed that you don't need charisma when it comes to elections.

Inject credibility and support? Absolutely. Win an election? Doubtful. Stelmach would have to seriously screw up for Morton to come in from another party to take it from him.

[FireFly]

Stelmach 50937
Dinning 49753
Morton 38706